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nterini · 9 months

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The Leftover Kids in ONLY FRIENDS

A character analysis of Boston and Ray Ep. 6

This episode reveals a bit more about Boston’s character, and while it doesn’t justify his actions (because your past doesn’t have to justify all your present decisions, especially in fictional characters) we’re able to better understand his impulse to “humble” others when it seems to him like they’re finding their own way.

We learn that Boston’s mother remarried, and flew to another continent to start her new life. And while I don’t want to make assumptions, something about Boston’s politician father (who calls him only to speak about his campaign and winning over young people) encouraging his son’s impulses to toy with the emotions and bodies of others may have had something to do with it. Boston, time and time again tells Nick that the potential of the public finding his sex tapes (with other men) would be a burden to his father’s career. We don’t know if Boston has come out to his father, but the ultimatum that Boston must graduate or be sent back to New York to live with his mom shows his father’s willingness to get rid of a son that may not fit his public image. Boston is a talented photographer and someone in the demographic he wants to target; why so eager to send him away.

In the next scene, while comforting our favorite crazy lovesick puppy, he tells Nick, that the reason he doesn’t make lasting relationships is because he knows he has to leave anyway (and some more be about how he’d be a better photographer abroad). Maybe it’s because of the pressure he feels from his father, but Boston believes that there’s no place for him permanently anywhere. No one has chosen him for an “unconditional forever love” and no ever one will. He’s had no power over that. If my assumption that Boston’s father already knows of his son’s sexuality, and is slowly freezing him out and that Boston knows this already, Boston’s view of his future in Thailand, one that will always be queer, must be bleak. His own father, a popular candidate elect, does not want him. This loss of control triggers him. We see Boston seek control of potential rejection in the way he pursues his flings. He prefers Nick over all his other flings because he’s confident that Nick will always choose him no matter what selfish things he says. He’s envious of Mew who’s constantly chosen and pure, of the perfect Top who rejected him and has his life together, and of Ray and Sands budding relationship. He believes he’ll be left alone again, so he sabotages externally against anyone’s progress.

It’s what makes his scenes with Ray that much more interesting. Because Ray is just like him, except he sabotages internally.

We were introduced to Ray’s family background a few episodes back, and the toll it took on him emotionally, physically, and mentally. His mother was a young and talented actress who married rich, and whose light was dimmed in that marriage. And whether it was resentment over her lost career, Post-partum depression and an uncaring husband, or just a worsening addiction that was left untreated, she died alone drowning herself in alcohol. We know that Ray did not receive much affection from his mother and that his father was just as neglectful. Ray has learned to use money to buy emotions, companionship and intimacy. Unfortunately, he seems to be following in both his parents footsteps.

There is a theory going around that Boston has had a secret unrequited crush on Ray. And while I don’t think there’s a lot of evidence that supports this ship, it’s a plausible theory. However, the way he constantly goes back to Nick when he needs comfort and conversations, other than just straight sex, says the opposite. I think a better conclusion would be that Boston finds comfort in Ray’s lack of growth and misfortune. After all, they’re very similar. Leftover, abandoned, rich kids that were never chosen. I don’t even think he had any ill intention against Mew when he slept with Top or even with Ray. I think deep down he’s secretly comforted by seeing Ray heartbroken. It makes sense that he was triggered when he saw that Ray might have found someone to help him come out of that misery. He doesn’t provoke Mew or Top the way he does Ray. Maybe it’s because Ray doesn’t see how similar they are. Maybe it’s because Top and Mew see right through him.

Mew’s role in their friendship is also really interesting 🤔. Ep. 7 might give us inside Mew’s thoughts and actions. Is Mew manipulating his rich friends to get his dream career and partner or is it all all a grand plan to help heal the lives of the people he cares about most.

Overall, I love how real the show feels. The discussions of drugs in Thailand’s queer community, of privilege and class struggle, it all feels incredibly genuine. It’s hot and steamy and we’ll written. Like we CAN have all of these things at once! The growth that I see in BL/Queer (the slash is necessary) content gives me hope. Please give the lesbians (AprilNamchueam) more screen time plsssssssss 😩.

(Please excuse any typos and errors.)

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saiyanmazen · 6 months

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Someone has to take initiative

I want to thank everyone who took the time to read Sneak Attack yesterday. The response was overwhelming and I loved it. So thank you.

Today's ficlet for the D&D event by @vegebulocracy is quite different. The prompts used for this ficlet are initiative and spellcasting (sort of), and the whole thing is pretty cracky.

It can also be found here on AO3.

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Panchy had tried to let them figure it out for themselves, she really had. She'd been called meddlesome in the past and was now proving to others that she wasn't. Her involvement in her daughters' lives was perfectly normal for that of a loving mother.

When she arranged a seemingly accidental meeting between Tights and a gorgeous young man which led to a long-lasting relationship, it had merely been in her oldest daughter's best interest. After all, it had worked so well the first time she'd done it until Tights had broken up with him. Who could blame Panchy for wanting to try it again?

It was also for Bulma’s beneficence that her mother talked to Yamcha about his relationship with Bulma going nowhere and urged him to propose, or the time she showed him baby pictures of Bulma to encourage that natural protective instinct in him and his hidden longing to have children.

But neither of her daughters were happy when they learned of these small incidents. Perhaps it even contributed a little to Tights’ decision to move out. And it might have made Bulma more opposed to marriage and children than she had already been.

Therefore, when Panchy saw the undeniable mutual attraction between Bulma and Vegeta, she did nothing to interfere. She would not meddle again. Not even when her youngest daughter broke up with Yamcha for good, leaving nothing to stop her from pursuing the handsome alien who walked around shirtless all hours of the day.

It didn't escape Panchy's notice that he and Bulma would make exceptionally beautiful grandchildren. If they got together, she would surely soon become a grandmother. A strong man like Vegeta had to be very virile. She might have switched out Bulma’s birth control and removed all condoms in the house to speed things along, just in case.

But other than that, she decided to let Bulma and Vegeta work things out for themselves. Panchy knew her daughter well enough; she couldn't resist a muscular bad boy for long. And there was no denying Vegeta’s interest in Bulma’s beautiful body the way his gaze followed her when she left a room.

Yet, no matter how thick the sexual tension was between them when they fought day in and day out, none of them actually took the initiative to do something to release the tension.

Bulma wasn't getting younger; nor was Panchy. If she wanted to have a lot of time with her grandchildren, she needed to have some soon. It was really quite selfish of her daughters to make her wait so long.

There really wasn't any harm in hurrying things along. It was inevitable, after all. And no one would know her involvement; she'd make sure of that.

The worst was having to wait nearly a whole year to gather the Dragon Balls. But finding and gathering them turned out to be easy. On the pretense of wanting to fix one of her older husband's many ailments, she convinced the sweet boy, Gohan, to find them for her. She swore him to secrecy, telling him that the dear Dr. Briefs didn't want to use the balls for such things and that no one but Gohan could be trusted to keep the secret.

The boy, so fond of the old scientist, eagerly took the dragon radar that Panchy had found in one of Bulma’s drawers and came back with all the magical balls. His eyes shimmered with pure joy when she rewarded him with her famous chocolate chip cookies.

Oh, she hoped her future grandchild would appreciate her cooking just as much. With Vegeta as the father, there would be a good chance of that.

She went to a spa resort near North City to perform the ritual. It wouldn't do if anyone saw the Dragon appear, so she rented a large gym hall with enough room for the giant entity. While she hadn't done it before, she had seen the ritual performed quite a few times and it didn't take long before the Great Dragon soared in the air in front of her and asked her to state her wish.

“I wish for Bulma and Vegeta to conceive a child, so I will finally have a grandchild,” she said with a gentle smile, then added as an afterthought, “one without a widow's peak. And taller than its parents too.”

The Dragon looked back and forth as though he wasn't sure about what she was asking him. Surely, this simple request was within his capabilities!

“Vegeta? Prince Vegeta?” The Dragon questioned incredulously. “Are you certain?”

“Of course I am,” her pearly whites twinkled as she beamed at him, “It's not too much trouble for a big, powerful being such as yourself, is it?”

It sounded like the Dragon mumbled something about it not being him that was in trouble, but he cleared his throat and said what she wanted to hear: “Your wish has been granted.”

The Dragon disappeared and the balls turned to stone. She hurried to the doors to the outside and opened them to allow the stones to scatter.

She then got the full spa treatment, making sure to look her best for her return. After all, she didn't want to wake any suspension by coming back without looking splendid.

But it didn't matter because no one was there when she returned to her home. Her darling hubby was tinkering in his lab as usual, having barely noticed that she'd been gone, that silly man. However, Bulma was nowhere to be found and the gravity thingy Vegeta spent all his time in was silent.

Then Panchy noticed the broken counter in the kitchen and the discarded clothes on the stairs leading to Bulma’s room. It told her all she needed to know.

That sweet Dragon sure worked fast.

#VBDND #vegebul #vegebul fanfiction #bulma #vegeta #bulma x vegeta #dragon ball z #dbz #dragon ball z fanfiction

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leonawriter · 7 days

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I went into the Twin Bets (AKA, Kid vs. Makoto) heist with... low expectations, because I'm biased and I don't have the highest opinion of Makoto (the man is way too controlling and jealous over of his girlfriend). Plus there's the fact that Sonoko has historically, up to this point, seemed to be dating Makoto and still crushing on Kaitou Kid, in a way that makes it seem like she can't really choose... or can't be bothered to.

I didn't think I'd go deep with this one, but apparently, I am gonna do that.

I'm gonna actually start off with how this heist echoes one that happened in Magic Kaito's early days. Chapter 16, titled Kaito Under Scrutiny.

You see, what happens in that case is that Hakuba Saguru, the detective from London who had only just arrived in Japan recently and had been there to examine the previous night's heist, transfers into Ekoda high.

He then sees Kaito being mean to Aoko because she's been trying to encourage him to go with her to the concert, and he's sure making it seem like he's not interested in either the concert... or her feelings.

This particular part isn't much like the Twin Bets heist, however... what happens next IS.

Hakuba: [laughs] It seems you [Kaito] really favour Kid... then let's do it this way. Tonight, if I'm able to catch Kid... will you allow me to go with you [to the concert you wanted to go to]? Aoko: Eh? Kaito: Huh?

Quickly followed by the two boys making a bet out of it.

If Hakuba wins, then he goes to the concert with Aoko. If he loses, then "the pleasure of accompanying Aoko will be [Kaito's]."

Cut to Twin Bets, and... first we have Sonoko's mother, approaching Makoto with her bet, and later on we find out what it is...

"If you manage to protect the jewel, I shall consider that a sign from heaven and accept you as Sonoko's partner... however, on the other hand, should that thief manage to beat you... you will give up on Sonoko once and for all. Do we have a deal?"

Now, clearly Kaito didn't have anything like this to contend with, but it does make it personal for Makoto. And much more understandably so than if it was out of pure jealousy! He actually has something tangible to fight for rather than just "I feel threatened by another man's presence in her life."

It's also bringing to mind the position of Aoko in the relevant MK chapter, once again.

Aoko here is being told by her friend Keiko that "It's possible for a single date to lead to a long-lasting relationship, or even marriage!" and then she goes on to examine the positions of hierarchy that Aoko and Saguru's father's hold.

Look again at the scene with Makoto - Sonoko's mother is effectively reminding Makoto of the weight of expectations that come with dating the daughter and heir of a finance conglomerate.

Sonoko, meanwhile...

Can't decide who she wants to win. Which seems kinda par for the course with her, up to now.

But it's also... rather similar to someone else.

At first when asked, Aoko states plainly that she's supporting "Hakuba-kun, for sure!" but internally, she's thinking about how mean Kaito had been earlier, proving that what she really wants isn't to be flirted with the way Hakuba had been with her, it's for Kaito to appreciate spending time with her. And later on, she's seen pensively cheering Kid on in her heart.

This ties in with Sonoko's experiences here, because... the moment Kid arrives at her window with a bet? It only seems like she fully accepts whatever his terms are and wants to side with him.

Makoto asks for the jewel and Sonoko's heart back, and Kid says "Of course... it wasn't what I was looking for, so I will be able to return the jewel. But... the young lady's heart is a different matter entirely." At first it seems like he's saying "you can't make someone stop feeling certain things at will," but then-

"You say 'return,' but it wasn't stolen in the first place. Not at the point when I offered the terms of the bet."

Bear in mind that the bet Kid had offered Sonoko was that her boyfriend wouldn't be able to tell the difference between her and a disguised Kaitou Kid (Makoto could figure it out, but... not for romantic reasons, to her frustration).

In spite of how flirtatious she has previously shown herself to be with other men, and how much she idolises Kaitou Kid... she asks, blushing, "Don't hurt him, alright? Makoto-san... he's got a really big tournament coming up next week..."

What I find interesting in this panel is that it's from Kaito's point of view - as it is a flashback of his - and you can see behind the monocle at some of his surprised yet serious expression. I don't think Kaito expected that his richest, most exuberant fangirl would turn into a blushing maiden as she admits feelings that are far more honest and real about her boyfriend than most get to see.

This isn't the first time he's covered for a rich young child who wants to reconcile with their parents, or who wants more freedom, either.

However, add this all together, and then we get:

And it's fair of Sonoko to ask for Kid to not hurt Makoto, since in the pictured confrontation with Hakuba...

Both he and the detective do get injured. It seems that Hakuba's actually less injured than Kaito is, too!

Compare to Twin Bets, by which point he's much more skilled and experienced, has far less of a personal stake in things (the subject of the bet is Sonoko, who he isn't interested in romantically, and the one with the most skin in the game is Makoto), and... he gets away with neither him nor Makoto too badly injured.

In fact, it's a good thing he is as nimble and experienced as he is, or he could have been in hospital again because of Makoto!

Thankfully, they both escape more or less unharmed.

But - the tl;dr of it?

Both this heist and Kaitou Under Scrutiny have someone make a bet with - or centred around - whether or not Kaitou Kid gets away with the prize. Whereas in Kaitou Under Scrutiny Aoko wanted Kid to win (as what she wanted was Kaito's attention) and she ended up with only her father accompanying her to the concert, in Twin Bets the ideal outcome is Kid losing (so that Sonoko's parents can recognise Makoto as her boyfriend), and he is willing to go along with this, conceding "defeat" of a sort, in spite of being able to test the jewel in the moonlight (so in his eyes, he's got what he came for).

#dcmk stuff #leona rereads dcmk

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hollie911 · 1 year

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This is not my work. It is by the user constantwriter85 whose account had been deactivated on tumblr and ao3 and i am just sharing their work

The devil you know

Vampire!jefferson x reader

Part 6/10

You lay in front of the fireplace for what seemed like hours, cuddling and caressing each other’s bodies. It seemed like once that final bridge had been crossed neither of you could keep your hands off one another. Finally though, you began to get cold, and he saw you shiver.

Jefferson helped you to your feet, and you both sorted out the clothing, grinning shyly at each other. He pulled you in for another kiss.

“I love you,” he said, smiling at you. “I will never get tired of saying that.”

“And I’ll never get tired of hearing it. I love you too, Jefferson.”

Lips parted, and his tongue skated across your bottom lip before he bit it playfully. Your eyes flashed, and you gripped his hair, tugging him closer. Jefferson chuckled and pulled back slightly, breathing deeply.

“I could ravage you all night, my dear, but I still owe you more of an explanation. That is, if you still want to hear it.”

You nodded. “I meant what I said, Jefferson. I want to help you, if you’ll let me.”

He was silent a moment, considering. He fidgeted, looking into your eyes as if searching for something. Finally, he nodded.

“All right, but only if it won’t place you in any danger. You’re already in far too much for my liking, but still…it would help to have an extra set of eyes.”

“Thank you.”

He took your hand and led you once again to the couch. Excusing himself, he left for a moment, returning with a fresh pot of tea and a large leather book. You frowned as he poured you both a cup.

“So…you can eat and drink, um, real food?”

Jefferson smiled. “I can, but it doesn’t do much for me. I’ll admit I do have a fondness for tea, though. It calms me…although the benefits are purely in my head.”

He scooted close to you and placed the book on both of your laps. Opening it, you saw it was a large family photo album. Jefferson flipped through the first few pages quickly, showing you yellowed photographs of his parents and sisters. You smiled seeing photos of him as a child, watching as he grew into a handsome young man. He blushed, seeing the look on your face.

It was a bit surreal, seeing him posed in formal old photos like ones you’d seen in museums. You shook your head, looking at him in amazement.

“You really are a hundred and thirty two years old.”

He sighed, and you felt the weight of all those years in that single breath. “I’ve been around a very long time,” he said sadly.

He flipped the page, and you understood.

On the left was a family portrait. Jefferson standing, a pretty young woman seated next to him. She was holding a baby girl. Jefferson ran his fingers lovingly over the photograph on the right, and you recognized it as an enlargement of the picture from the pocket watch.

“She’s your daughter, isn’t she?” you asked softly.

The faintest of smiles crossed his lips. “Her name was Grace, and she was the light of my life. My sweet, sweet girl.”

Was.

You could see how hard this was for him to talk about. You didn’t say anything, you merely looked at him and encouraged him to continue. Jefferson took a deep and shuddering breath, and began to speak.

“It was an arranged marriage, Alice and I. That’s just how things were done amongst the upper class in those days, and while ours wasn’t the happiest of marriages, it did result in Grace.”

He fingered the family portrait. “We loved each other in our own ways, I supposed, but it was mostly a relationship of cordiality and convenience, until Grace came along. We doted on her…such a sweet and loving child, high-spirited and full of wonder.”

He laughed, and his eyes crinkled at the edges. “She was such a curious child, constantly getting into trouble. Her mother was a bit more formal, and Grace could be quite the little lady when the occasion called for it. I loved her spirit, though. Every spare moment I had was spent with her, we’d make up games and have grand adventures.”

He paused, looking around at the room. “The estate in Massachusetts was sprawling and extravagant, but Grace was happiest here. She loved the woods…she’d make up fantastic tales about witches and trolls, pirates and kings…she had quite the imagination.”

The house had been a summer retreat for his family as far back as the Revolutionary War. After the business was lost, Jefferson sold the estate in Massachusetts and moved the family up to Storybrooke. He tried to make an honest go of it, for his family. But times were tough, and it looked like he’d lose this house as well.

Then Alice and Grace had gotten sick.

“Scarlet fever,” he said. “It took Alice quickly, and I thought I’d lose Grace as well. I was out of my mind with grief and worry…those were some of the darkest days of my life.”

Jefferson sighed, looking down at the portrait. “Alice was a sweet girl, and her death upset me, but ours was no great love. I wasn’t always the easiest to live with. Still, I was heartbroken when I lost her, and if I’d lost Grace as well…I don’t think I would’ve survived.”

You took his hand and intertwined your fingers with his, and he looked at you gratefully.

“Grace recovered though, and we buried her mother that fall. That was only the beginning of our troubles, however. The doctor’s bills were astronomical, and I was struggling. I was working for the local druggist, but I could barely make ends meet. All the help was laid off. We were going to have to sell the house, and in those days, no one would’ve wanted to buy something this grand. I could barely put food on the table, and Grace spent long hours at work with me because there was no one else to watch her. It was no way for a child to live.”

His jaw clenched. “Then I made the worst decision I’ve ever made in my life. I returned to my life of thievery, working for a witch named Regina.”

You stiffened.

“The pay was good, but after a few months I saw an opportunity to get us out of that life, once and for all. A rival coven offered me nearly triple to bring my latest conquest to them instead of Regina, and I took the gamble.

“I lost. Regina found out, and you know the rest. Grace, she…” he swallowed thickly, his eyes beginning to water. “She’d been staying with a neighbor, and they simply never heard from me again. Grace begged me not to go, but I didn’t listen. I kissed the top of her head and told her I loved her, promising I’d be home by teatime.”

You could feel the strength of his emotions bubbling just below the surface. “My fate was infinitely worse than death, for both of us. I was mad with hunger, out of control and striking down innocents, just to slake my thirst. And Grace...she thought I’d simply abandoned her. I couldn’t go near her, because if I did…I’d…” he shuddered, unable to continue.

“How did you get this?” you asked, indicating the photo album.

He looked ashamed. “I stole it. Grace was adopted by the neighbor. I waited until the family was gone on vacation, so there would be absolutely no chance of me attacking them, and I stole it. I just…I had to have pictures of her, they’re all I had left of her at the time.”

The look on his face broke your heart. Gently, you set the photo album on the coffee table, and wrapped your arms around him. Jefferson was stiff with grief, but at your touch he melted. You both sat there like that for some time, the fire crackling in the background while you gently ran your fingers through his hair.

Finally, Jefferson sat back with a sigh. Kissing your cheek, he stood and offered you his hand.

“Come, I…I want to show you something.”

You took it, and he led you back up the stairs. He stopped at the door next to yours and pulled a skeleton key from his pocket. He had to jiggle the key in the lock, but it finally yielded, and he pushed the door open, stepping aside for you to enter.

It was a child’s room. Everything was left untouched, a thick layer of dust over it all. A small wrought-iron bed, made neatly in the corner. A dollhouse, the white paint peeling and yellowed. A small tea set, laid out at a child’s table, dolls and stuffed animals in attendance.

“This is Grace’s room…these are her things,” you said softly.

Jefferson smiled sadly, seeing you piece it together. “The house was shuttered, after I…left. The economy was so bad no one knew what to do with it, so they simply boarded it up. The family that adopted Grace moved down to Boston, and I just lived here, keeping my distance.”

He swiped a finger across the dust gathered on the dresser, but the look on his face was not one of disgust—it was one of infinite sadness.

“After Mrs. Conrad’s grandmother found me and helped me to control my urges, I was able to visit Grace. Not in person of course, but from a distance. I watched her blossom into a beautiful young woman. I saw her marry. I saw her play with her children. After each visit I would come back to my dilapidated gothic mansion, and sit up in this room for hours, drowning in misery and regret.”

His lips tightened, and his chin quivered. “Grace died in 2002. She was ninety-five. Nearly a century, thinking her father abandoned her.”

He turned to you, and you could see he was losing the battle against his grief. “That’s why. I��I’m not an overly religious man, but I believe in hell now, so there has to be a heaven. I know very well which one I’m destined for. That’s why I stole the spell book. Not for my own selfish purposes, but so that I can maybe—just maybe see Grace, one last time.”

He grabbed your shoulders, gently but firmly, his eyes wild with emotion.

“I need to tell her I’m sorry. That I didn’t want to abandon her. I need to tell her I never forgot about her, I never stopped loving her. All these years, it’s the only thing that’s kept me going—the thought that maybe I can reverse the curse and save my soul.”

His eyes squeezed shut and he clenched his teeth. Silent tears ran down his face, and you couldn’t hold yourself back any longer. You pulled him into your arms, and he clutched at you like a drowning man…which, you supposed, he was.

You held him for a long time while he cried, and you had the feeling that years of grief were being unloaded. Your lips grazed his temple and you rubbed up and down his back, murmuring soothingly to him. Finally, he began to quiet.

“I-I’m sorry, Y/N, I…I’ve never taken anyone up here, not even Mrs. Conrad. I…”

“It’s okay, Jefferson, you’ve got nothing to apologize for,” you said, caressing his face. Your own was shining with tears as well. “I’m so sorry this happened to you, and I’m sorry you’ve had to carry that burden by yourself. Thank you for trusting me.”

You took his hands in yours. “I promise you, we’ll figure it out. Together. We’ll find a way to reverse the curse, and you’ll see Grace again. You’re not alone, Jefferson.”

He hiccupped and cupped your face. “I love you so much. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you, but I…thank you, Y/N. Thank you for listening, and thank you for…for helping.”

He smiled and took your hand. As he closed the door you turned, taking one last look at the child’s room—the symbol of a father’s love and undying devotion.

***

You awoke, cold. Drawing the blankets tighter your naked body, you rolled over. The fire in the hearth had gone out, that was one reason for the chill, but the other reason was your bedmate.

Jefferson lay next to you, as still and silent as the grave. A wave of fear washed over you before you remembered his words from this morning, right before you both fell asleep.

“Don’t be afraid, darling, if I don’t wake when you do.”

“What do you mean?”

His brow furrowed, and he looked at you sadly. “When the dawn comes, my strength is gone. Once I’m asleep I won’t wake, not for anything. I’ll look—well, it’ll be startling, but I’ll look quite dead. I just don’t want you to wake up and be afraid.”

And dead was indeed how he looked. His hands were folded loosely across his chest, his bloodless lips closed, long sooty eyelashes standing out against the pallor of his skin. You placed your hand on his chest where his heart should beat, and his skin was cold to the touch. You smiled sadly, and kissed his cold lips.

“Sleep well, love. I’ll see you tonight.”

You glanced at your phone as you got out of bed. Almost noon. It was still the weekend, but you had a number of things to get done, namely going back to your place to get fresh clothes—you couldn’t live in the same pair of scrubs day after day.

As you pulled them on yet again, you flushed, remembering what had happened that morning after you and Jefferson left Grace’s room. What started out as soft kisses quickly heated, leading to clothes heaped on the floor as you explored each other’s bodies. Legs and arms tangled together, writhing and moaning as you both rolled from one orgasm to the next—there seemed to be no end to Jefferson’s stamina.

Finally, the sun had brought an end to your nocturnal frolicking, and you drifted off to sleep in Jefferson’s arms. Despite the intensity of last night’s activities, though, you felt refreshed. You felt ready to conquer the day, or more accurately—to do what you needed to do so you could get back to him.

***

Jefferson lay sprawled on the bed, paging through the Cartea Morților while Y/N showered for work. He was already dressed. They were headed to the morgue together that night, where she would work while he used her computer. Another reason that he hadn’t mentioned though, was protection—Regina had already attacked her there once, and there was no way he was going to let her walk in there alone again.

He flipped a page and smiled, momentarily distracted by the sound of her humming in the shower.

The spell book was quite fascinating, Jefferson had to admit. For the most part, the text was in Romanian, but the spells themselves were in some sort of ancient rune, and that was precisely what Jefferson was having a hard time deciphering. For hours he’d stared at them, trying to make sense of the patterns, but it was to no avail.

There were other useful bits, however. He’d learned a great deal about vampirism and his own natural inclinations, but the part that interested him the most was about bonding with a mate. Jefferson looked at the closed bathroom door. Y/N was still in there, now was the perfect time to go ask Mrs. Conrad.

It had been a wonderful weekend, one of the best he could remember. Y/N had run some errands that first day, retrieving her bike and coat from the morgue and checking in with Dr. Whale. Nothing was amiss.

Then she visited her apartment, gathering some clothing and personal items in an overnight bag, deciding to finally break down and use her car. The weather man had been forecasting snow, and it could start any day now.

She was back by the time he awoke, and the weekend had sped by.

He’d shown her the Cartea Morților,and she had a number of marvelous suggestions about how to deal with the runes. She pulled up a number of articles and databases on her phone, and she said they could use the computer at the morgue to look up more information on Monday night.

Jefferson had a phone, but he only used it for emergencies, mostly to call Mrs. Conrad when he got in a bind—thankfully, that hadn’t happened too often. Y/N showed him how to use the internet on it, and how they could video call when she was away.

The rest of the weekend had sped by in utter bliss, long sessions in the bedroom followed by long walks through the woods and through town. They even stopped by Granny’s Diner and had a delightful drink called a pumpkin spice latte.

He had played some records on the old phonograph in the library, and he taught her to dance. Or rather, he tried to. It was an activity she was positively abysmal at, and they’d both collapsed in a giggling heap by the time it was over.

Occasionally, they just sat in the garden, talking. Jefferson lay with his head in her lap, eyes closed in contentment as she ran her fingers through his hair. She told him about her life and her family, growing up in Boston.

She was a lonely soul, just like him. She hadn’t been blessed with the ability to make friends easily, and her utter fascination with science, namely the forensic arts, isolated her. As she put it, not many people wanted to be friends with someone who cut up dead bodies for a living. She had simply laughed when he asked about her love life.

Despite that, she was warm and friendly with him, answering all his questions without hesitation. And he only had about a million—he wanted to know everything about her. He learned about her hobbies and her passions, all the while falling even harder for her.

Yes, Jefferson loved her with all his heart. He wanted to keep her safe, and he thought he might have found a solution. But first, he needed answers.

He found the old housekeeper in the garden. She greeted him, and her eyes fell to the open book in his hands.

“Have you found something, then?”

“Not precisely, no,” he said, fidgeting. “I…um I wanted to ask what you know about vampire mates…specifically the bonding ritual.”

A knowing smile crept over the woman’s face. “I figured this would come up sooner or later, I’m impressed you found it yourself. I thought I’d have to sit you down and explain it to you.”

“What do you mean?”

She sighed, and took a seat on the edge of the rocky bed. “It was obvious to me you had imprinted on the girl, boding with her as a mate would only come naturally to you.”

All the strength left him, and he sat down heavily. “Imprinted?”

“You never wondered why you both fell head over heels for each other? Why it came on so sudden and strong? I know you’ve been out of practice Jefferson, but let me tell you that love like that is far from normal.”

“So…the way we feel about each other…it’s only because I’m…I’m…” Jefferson felt sick. The only good thing left in his life, and it was corrupted by his darkness.

“Get ahold of yourself, boy. That’s not what I said,” she snapped. Rarely had she ever used that tone with him. “You seem hellbent on maintaining the delusion that you’re and evil creature, but that’s not true.”

“A satanic ritual—”

“Was used, yes. But the world is not black and white, and neither is good and evil. Vampires can be evil, this is true, but there can be good in them as well. You’ve proven that.”

Jefferson looked down at his hands, his jaw working in agitation. Mrs. Conrad took his hand in both of hers, forcing him to look at her.

“When two souls are meant to be together, they imprint on each other. A way of bonding with each other for life.”

Jefferson opened his mouth, but she cut him off.

“It’s not acknowledged in the mind, Jefferson, but in the heart. Most people never even realize it’s happened. The fairytales like to call it true love.”

His lips twitched up in a smile. True love. Yes, that was one word for it.

“But what does that have to do with bonding with a mate?”

She nodded. “Vampires are a bit more animalistic in nature, and they’re driven to take it a step further. Bonding with a mate is a means of protection. A bonded pair can sense the other’s feelings. They know when their mate is hurt or in trouble, and they always know where they are.”

“But Y/N’s not a vampire.”

“She doesn’t have to be.”

Jefferson was on his feet. He felt excited…anxious…and a little afraid.

“The…the ritual, is it satanic? Is it—”

Mrs. Conrad shook her head. “No. There’s no witchcraft or potions, incantations or other nonsense. Just two people giving all of themselves to each other. Think of it as the wildest sex you’ll ever have in your life,” she said with a cheeky grin.

Jefferson blushed a deep scarlet, hearing her talk like that. “Y-Yes, the book mentioned…ahem. Well…” he scrubbed his hand through his hair in agitation. “Will my blood hurt her? Will it—”

“You know the answer to that already. I was honestly surprised that you didn’t use it to heal her when you brought her here the other night.”

He made a face. “That’s disgusting. I wasn’t about to allow the evil in my veins corrupt her—”

“Do not make me knock you up the side of the head, Jefferson,” Mrs. Conrad warned. “You’re not evil, and you might be surprised at how…eager Y/N is to the whole idea. Remember, it takes two to imprint, and she’s probably been having rather sinful thoughts about you already. I mean…more sinful that what’s already taken place in your bedroom…and the library.”

Jefferson choked.

“Do you honestly think anything escapes my notice under this roof, boy?” she chuckled, standing. Then her expression softened, and she placed a hand on his arm. “It will be fine, Jefferson. Do what your heart tells you to do. You both deserve happiness.”

A crunch of the gravel behind them told him Y/N had come down. He turned, his face brightening at the mere sight of her. Soulmate indeed—she was a vision. Her heavy peacoat was buttoned up against the chill, her cheeks and nose rosy. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders as her breath misted in the cold air.

“Ready?” she asked.

Jefferson stood, ignoring Mrs. Conrad’s chuckle. There was a lot that he and Y/N had to discuss, but first, there was work to be done. He walked down the path towards her, and offered her his arm.

“Ready, my dear.”

#jefferson hatter x reader #vampire #vampire jefferson #x reader #once upon a time #ouat

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animeyanderelover · 3 years

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💕Can I request all the senjus,orochimaru,shisui and itachi with a s/o who managed to make themselves immortal with out consequences and they did it without experimenting but they can make other people immortal but people keep trying to kidnap them for it,also they don’t age anymore?💕

This is what pretty much Orochimaru’s dream is.

Tw: Yandere themes, unhealthy mindset, unhealthy relationship, possessiveness, obsessiveness, delusions, kidnapping, manipulation, clinginess

Immortal s/o

Hashirama Senju

🌳He is quite the more supporting and encouraging person. But in this situation even he finds himself a bit unsure how to feel. Your jutsu is quite amazing and something marvelous, but Hashirama is someone who wants to spend his whole life with his darling and die later on when both of them are grey and old together, that is his dream. But with you who stopped aging long ago and will never die, this is something impossible. The clan has definitely a huge interest in you, even though they are aware that your ability will end up being terrifying if it goes into the wrong hands which is why the Leaf guards you very observingly, not wanting to risk that a rival village gets their hands on you. If their strongest shinobi would be made immortal, that would end in a catastrophe. Hashirama himself makes sure that even in his own village no one plans on abusing your powers.

🌳I do not think that Hashirama would force you to either make him immortal nor to somehow tell you that you should try to stop your powers and start aging again. Not like he won't try to convince you to eventually consider finding a way to stop being immortal and instead settle down and live with him. Given the fact that are immortal, you might lived longer than he did and for that have knowledge he and his clan do not possess which is why you're treated from the Senju and the whole village really respectfully, if they need advice they will go and ask you. Hashirama can also only do this much and so he grows more clingy since he knows that he will die whilst you will live. And so he wants to be able to have a place in your heart for all the time to come and alongside with his brother and future generations, he trusts you to protect the Leaf Village once he dies. Even if his darling is immortal, he still wants to marry them since he is traditional.

Tobirama Senju

🌊Despite him being the harsher and much more intimidating and blackmailing guy from all the Senju, he has a rather simple dream as well. He wants to marry his darling and live with them together and one day die. And his dream is messed up with all of this as well and he is quite irritated by the knowledge that you made yourself immortal. On the one hand Tobirama is eager to invent new jutsu himself so from that perspective this is beyond fascinating, a wish many people before him had and tried to work on. But in a way this is honestly way too mocking for him as well because even if his darling might have to endure harsher lessons with him, they might honestly have the relieving thought that he will die one day anyways and then they're free. It is angering because it is true and depending on how old they are, they might nag him because of his behavior and he won't be able to say much against it since he knows they have more experience than him in life.

🌊This might be an advantage you have against him next to the whole being immortal thing. He will start being more respectful once he finds out how old you really are. He literally can not help it and that is why he sometimes, under the risk of his pride, asks you for some advice. He doesn't really want to be immortal either, even though he is more curious about it than his brother is. But what he has to do is always guaranteeing that you are under high protection because he know what terrible things your powers can do when being wrongly used. He might actually try to create a jutsu similar to yours because in a way you have been inspiring him. He also will end up marrying his darling. For starters he is a pretty traditional guy so marriage has a high meaning for him as well. Additionally he is not willing to let you that easily get away with your long life, he is possessive. He just kind of wants to set a mark on you for as long as you're part of the Leaf.

Orochimaru

🐍You have literally achieved what he has been trying to complete his whole life time without even having to experiment on anything and it is thrilling for him. No wonder he is after you as soon as he has heard the rumors, being in his way fervent about it and his obsession starts before he has even met you in person. And oh, he will hunt his darling down, no matter where he has to go and who he has to kill. He wants that jutsu and that talent who created it and no one will stop him. Not going to lie, at the beginning he is a bit salty, mostly because he feels like he has been beaten since you didn't even have to use anyone, you just had pure skill. But whilst he might have lost this, he still can owe the person who had the skills and intelligence and since he will totally force you to teach him that power and make him immortal as well, you might be stuck with him forever if you do so. And the bad part here is that if you don't, he will have no problems torturing you or using you as his next vessel.

🐍You're immortal, so it's not like you will die and he takes advantage of that if you refuse to lend him a hand. If you do help him, he will show his gratitude in a rather odd way, but it's better than his sadstic side. He simply keeps you, that much has to be said already. He can't effort to lose a talent like you, the experience not even to mention. His darling becomes his very special treasure who helped him earning immortality and in return he offers them a place to stay and protection. He knows that everyone wants to have that sort of abilities and he gets rid of all of them all to gladly, he won't let anyone dare to take his special underling away from him. He just always has you tagging along with him. Sasuke gets kind of interested as well since you are indeed powerful and you might as well get close to him since he is together with Kabuto and Orochimaru the only person you will see for a long time. Depending on how long you are already alive, Orochimaru also wants to know pretty much all jutsu and other knowledge you might have.

Tsunade Senju

🐌She looks quite young for her age which comes from the fact that she uses a jutsu that makes her appear young, but she is just like everyone else. She ages and is bound to die one day. And Tsunade handles this maybe a bit worse than some others do. You gotta understand, she just thought that she finally found the one person she can manage to live together with the rest of her life only to discover that they will continue living forever. And to know that she might be only one of many to come and that she might be forgotten one day is truly not very pretty, it makes her a bit more desperate. At first she was probably scared that you used to do the same things Orochimaru did to reach your goal so she was definitely more at ease when hearing that you succeeded without having to go with such drastic methods. For that reason she refuses to let her old teammate find out about you, knowing that he will be after you if he hears that you're in the Leaf which would only give him more reasons to attack.

🐌Tsuna might find herself tempted by the thought to be made immortal from you and live for all eternity together with you, simply because she is possessive as well and wants to be finally happy with the person she loves after all her beloved people dying on her. She's not completely sure, she knows that being immortal can be as much of a curse as it can be a blessing. The the council from Konoha is quite possessive as well, knowing how valuable you are and so they might want to use your powers for more selfish reasons from time to time. This leads to arguments between Tsunade and them because she is often against such decisions, seeing that they plan on making use of you. But one thing they do agree on is keeping you save from all other forces who want you in their grip. Funnily you might be a part of the eldest yourself if you lived long enough which gives Tsunade an advantage since you are on her side and not that narrow-viewed like the other eldest are.

Shisui Uchiha

🍂At this point in his timeline his darling might as well be already part of the village or at the very least known everywhere in the hidden villages for their special jutsu which is why everyone is on some sort of hunt for them. Shisui himself honestly probably never really saw himself falling for someone who constantly dominates the spotlight like you do, maybe also because he thought, despite the fact that you look young, the age difference would make him view you more as a admirable sensei because being able to make yourself and others immortal without having to do experiments on humans needs skill and wisdom. Shisui also just knows that even if you like him as well, this is a completely impossible love since not only might the superiors forbid it, but he does not desire to be made immortal. He already knows that everyone dies sooner or later and given his job being ready to die is a must since he is constantly exposed to danger.

🍂It would only break your heart in the end which is why he kind of feels like it might be best if he stays silent about his feelings at first. He just focuses on protecting you from potential enemies who plan on kidnapping you and tries to be someone who can leighten your mood up a bit since he sympathizes that life for you must be quite tricky. If he does confesses to you because he feels like you really like him as well or you tell him you like him first, he might hesitate and voice his doubts, but can be more easily manipulated since he loves you. Shisui kind of knows that he might not be the last since he doesn't want to be made immortal and you might find after his death a new person you love. And he accepts that, he doesn't want his darling to be alone only because they can't die. But he can make sure that he leaves some sort of impression on you so you will remember him. He wants at the very least a special place in your heart.

Itachi Uchiha

🍡He did not kidnap his darling so he could have their jutsu for himself, he definitely didn't. He did it because he lost control over his emotions and given the fact that you are constantly being chased by other power-hungry persons, he got triggered too much because he knows that some will hurt you to get what they want since you can not die. And afterwards Itachi just has to be really careful so that no one will find out because you are no ordinary person. You are famous and a living legend for your achievement and it'll cause a huge motion if he is being sighted with you because everyone will know afterwards, including the Akatsuki and he can expect that Pain will definitely want you to be a part of his organization since you not only have a very gifted ability, but might also possess knowledge and forgotten jutsu from long time ago. And Itachi doesn't want to force you to live the same life as him, even if you can't be killed on such missions.

🍡Itachi knows that he doesn't have long to live anyways and he already accepted that fact, he has his plans in mind for this. So he knows he won't be there for too long to protect you from all the greedy and selfish people which is why he might plan on making Sasuke look after you once he dies and he tells you about this as well, even though he knows you can handle yourself very well on your own as well. He respects people who are older than him and for that reason he might be far more respectful to the s/o than he would be already and he isn't embarrassed about it. Similar to Shisui he also knows that after his death his darling might find someone else and he won't be angry with them for it. They shouldn't spend their whole life grieving over him since he wants them to be happy. The only person he might ever tell willingly about his darling is Kisame since he is next to his younger brother the only person he really trusts with his darling.

#yandere naruto #yandere naruto shippuden #yandere hashirama #yandere hashirama senju #yandere tobirama #yandere tobirama senju #yandere orochimaru #yandere tsunade #yandere tsunade senju #yandere shisui #yandere shisui uchiha #yandere itachi #yandere itachi uchiha

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slashbitch2 · 3 years

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Lying To Her Love

i noticed there were no fics for lorraine and felt i had to remedy that

also no hate to ed he's a dilf

Lorraine wasn't really sure what prompted her to stray from the group. Conjecture would be the only way to describe it: a sudden desire to distance herself from Ed, to explore the house alone. A new feeling had also arisen deep inside, in her chest if she had to place it, similar to a compass. Like there was an internal needle pointing in the direction she was supposed to go, and she chose to trust this instinct. Though thus far her inference skills had brought about nothing but terrifying situations.

And unfortunately, it seemed this time would be no different...

The needle slowly spun round to point out a set of stairs leading down toward the basement. A layer of dust had settled upon each step, indicating that no one had ventured down so far, which only served to intrigue her further. How, in a paranormal investigation, had no one thought to check the basement? As she drew closer, Lorraine realised there was a very faint set of footsteps. They were too imperceptible to have been made recently, yet the house had supposedly been uninhabited since the disturbances began over a week ago.

Had it not been for the very insistent compass directing her down, the footsteps would've been convincing enough. Careful not to unsettle the evidence, she began to descend down the staircase, one hand tracing along the brick wall as if to ground herself in reality. With each step she could feel a weight bearing down on her chest, a dizzy wave rushing over her. At one point the sensation grew so overwhelming that she had to pause and close her eyes. Whilst stood still, the strange pressure that had been building up in her ears reached its peak. Without opening her eyes, Lorraine knew she'd crossed over to one of her prescience visions.

However, when she eventually did open them, it was to find everything exactly as she'd left it. There were no indications that anything had changed, except for the familiar feeling that she was watching through someone else's eyes. Or rather, watching what someone else wanted her to. She'd been brought here for a reason, and by god she was going to get to the bottom of this. Reinvigorated by a new determination, she practically skipped past the last few steps and onto the cold basement floor.

Here Lorraine found the first confirmation that she was no longer in reality: natural light flooding in from no visible source. It was a welcomed change from the gloom of late evening she'd left behind, but only made her more weary of whatever she was about to encounter since it was clearly trying to lure her into a false sense of security. Nonetheless, she cautiously ambled further into the open space. In fact, it was eerie how empty the room was. Usually she'd be climbing over piles of abandoned objects, trying to give equal attention to each one which often invoked fabrications of the mind. However, here there was nothing for her brain to work with, save for the occasional movement out the corner of her eye that she knew was nothing more than fiction to fill the void and warrant her apprehension.

By the time she'd reached the opposite end of the room, nothing yet had occurred to explain why she'd been dragged into this particular vision. And then, an abrupt, horrifying possibility dawned on her. What if she was stuck here? It had never happened before, but then again, in most cases 'the cause' would've revealed itself by now.

Although, with this realisation came another equally strange one. Lorraine could feel no fear, no panic, no negative emotions. All she was aware of was complete relaxation. Even her most horrific memories and upsetting images couldn't create any response. They were nothing but distant stories told by a different version of her. The positive aura filling the room started to shift into something else, into an almost crippling pleasure. It was both intense and insufficient. She found herself clutching at her stomach, as if she'd suddenly been made aware of an incapacitating emptiness. She longed for company, yet the idea of returning to reality appeared an incredibly unappealing one. Instead, Lorraine wanted to fall further into this dreamlike pleasure.

But that was what it wanted.

With great difficulty, and an exclamation of discomfort, Lorraine turned on her heels to begin her escape. Though she halted upon catching sight of a figure stood before her. She compelled herself to push past the profound ache lingering in her gut, standing up straight to face this mysterious being. Here she came across the second confirmation that this wasn't reality, not that she needed it anymore. You were indescribably beautiful, radiating a sort of divine light like an alluring beacon of possibility.

Most spectres or demons Lorraine met were the opposite. They enveloped the light around them, constructed a dark gap in which there was nothing but pain and regret. They represented everything that couldn't be. A screaming phantom that reminded her to appreciate life.

But you-

You represented all that could've been without any guilt or anguish. You emanated both warm nostalgia and burning desire, the effects of which were palpable for anyone who could tune into the energy, and Lorraine was being strongly subjected to it. Though first and foremost, she had a job to do.

She swallowed, refocused her attention to the task at hand. "Why-" Another wave of dizzying desire washed over her. She tried again. "Why are you-" The world around her was spinning. She blinked rapidly to try stave off vertigo, but stumbled anyway.

A cool reprieve from the searing pleasure caught hold of her. Using the embrace for support she stabilized herself only to come face to face with you.

Despite your overpowering influence on her, you appeared surprisingly human up close. Normal enough to blend in with reality, but sufficiently attractive to be memorable. Still there was something irresistible to your appearance that encouraged Lorraine to sink further into your hold, to move her hands to wrap around the back of your neck. She hadn't felt so loved since early on in her relationship with Ed...

Ed.

She shouldn't be doing this. Her marriage commitment ought to have her fighting against you- but that was practically inconceivable. Besides, how could something morally wrong feel so right? No, this wasn't infidelity. She wasn't exactly sure what it was, but not that. She would never cheat on Ed.

The temptation was intoxicating. Lorraine's hands started to trace patterns along any available skin, savouring the unfamiliar yet exhilarating sensation. You weren't a living breathing person so there was something different about the way you felt that she was eager to investigate. In response to her caress, you brought one hand up to cup her cheek, maintaining intimidating yet intimate eye contact. The touch emitted pure pleasure and Lorraine gasped as she leant into the contact. Time seemed to slow as neither moved, opting to stare at the other in silence instead.

She was vaguely aware that time moved differently in her visions. That the longer she spent in one, the more time had passed upon return. Though currently it was the least of her worries. All she could focus on right now was you and the close proximity that appeared to be narrowing still. Your gaze had dropped to the lower half of her face. Lorraine did the same, her eyes fixating on your lips. However, before you closed the gap she raised a hand, motivated by a new desire. She was shaking slightly, but ignored it to gently brush a finger along your lips. She wanted a taste of the upcoming kiss, and was pleasantly unsurprised. As expected, the touch only reasserted her conviction.

She'd never wanted anything- anyone- as much as she did now.

Suddenly your mouth was upon hers, bringing cooling bliss with it. Lorraine moaned. She felt again a rush of possibilities, the surging tide of everything that could be. The muted uncertainty at the back of her mind blurred into nothingness as she clung onto you. Your mouth was the only solid thing in a swaying world, and she planned on indulging herself in the addictiveness of it. She parted her lips, provoking insatiable tremors along her nerves and another rush of giddiness. She felt young, as if she were experiencing intimacy for the first time again.

Your hands were everywhere, carrying an influx pleasure. She'd never felt anything quite like it. Time became irrelevant, everything except you was meaningless. She was lost to an eternity of bliss, in a realm of endless fulfilment. It was incomprehensible, otherworldly.

And then it was over.

She hadn't noticed she was lightly crying, or trembling so much. Or that she was on the ground. You'd simply disappeared and she'd collapsed. But someone was holding her now, someone else.

"Lorraine!" Ed was crouching before her, gently shaking her out of the dreamlike state and back to consciousness. She'd never loathed him so much for saving her.

"What happened?" He asked, lowering to meet her eyes. "Are you okay?"

She scoffed, her mind trying to comprehend all that'd just happened. She was left reeling from the sudden weight of Ed's touch and separated from him. "I'm fine." Her voice barely breached a whisper.

"Did you see anything?"

Lorraine finally met his eyes, but she couldn't tell him.

"No." She answered. "There's nothing here." She lied.

#lorraine warren x reader #vera farmiga x reader #lorraine warren

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moinstar · 3 years

Text

Commissioned fic from @/light_arin on Twitter.

Tell me the story that sealed your heart.

Moin gave Barbatos a grateful smile as he handed her the cup of coffee. She remembered the first time she had asked for coffee at the tea party. The way he changed his cup with his unfaltering polite smile, just like the one that graced his lips in the current moment.

A playful spring breeze tugged on her red locks as she took a sip of her coffee, the warm weather making it possible to have the tea party in the garden. Floating candles cast a soothing light over them, adding to the formal yet comfortable ambiance of the tea party. Her gaze was filled with mild curiosity as Diavolo and Lucifer talked about some business. The Demon Lord’s eyes were closed into crescents as he let out a light chuckle, a contrast to Lucifer’s slightly exasperated sigh.

“At least everything ended well, Lucifer. Isn’t that right, Barbatos?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“As true as that may be, I wish he would learn to be a proper demon by now.”

Ah. They were speaking of the illegal gambling rings Mammon had been involved in. The poor second-born had been strung to the ceiling before they left for the tea party because of it. Moin smiled a little sheepishly, taking another sip of her coffee as she wondered if anyone had helped him down by now. If they hadn’t she would try to do it later.

She took another sip of her coffee, her eyes fluttering shut as she let her thoughts wander. The warm candlelight filtered through the branches of the trees surrounding them, catching on the ring she wore on her left hand. The glint caught Diavolo’s eye, and he leaned forward, the curiosity clear on his expression as he recalled what he had learned about humans and rings in the past.

“I heard that humans have traditions and symbolisms that go with wearing rings.”

Moin quickly opened her eyes, jolting in surprise when she met the golden gaze that was watching her intensely. She nodded in affirmation, waiting to see if he said anything else. Emboldened by her nod, the young Demon Prince continued.

“I’ve also heard that it can vary from nation to nation, so forgive me if I’m wrong, but… Moin, the ring on your fourth finger… Are you married in the Human World?”

Moin almost choked on her coffee, shocked by the sudden question. She set her cup down slowly, a quiet yet dark chuckle leaving her lips. Lucifer fought the urge to arch an eyebrow at her distant look, glancing at Diavolo. The look of concern that flit over the Demon Prince’s features prompted the Avatar of Pride to clear his throat, subtly attempting to remind Moin of her table manners. She flinched slightly, glancing at Lucifer before smiling gratefully at Barbatos who was standing beside her with a clean napkin. The three waited in silence as Moin dabbed at her lips, watching as she fiddled with the napkin in her lap. Moin bit her lip hesitantly, meeting Diavolo’s gaze as she struggled to organize her thoughts.

“Um… No, I’m not married. Although, it is true that the ring on the left ring finger usually means you’re married or engaged to someone. I just…”

She paused, propping her elbows on the table as she looked at both of her rings, one on each hand. Deciding to explain what the rings meant to her, she leaned against her left hand, not noticing Lucifer’s brief look of disapproval. To him, elbows on the table was an act of disrespect, but the young Demon Lord didn’t even bat an eye as he leaned forward, eager to hear her continue. With a small smile, she met Diavolo’s gaze, turning her hand so that he could see the silver ring that decorated her right middle finger.

“The silver ring was given to me by a dear friend. It symbolizes that your true friends will always be there no matter what. Even through ups and downs and broken relationships, my true friends will always be close to my heart. Like this.”

Her smile softened as she clasped her hands together, the silver ring glittering besides the black ring of her left hand as she pulled her hands to her chest. Her smile turned slightly pained as she looked down at her fingers, her gaze fixed on the black ring. As she untangled her fingers, she held up her left hand, watching the way the candle light caught on the dark metal.

“In the human world, people believe that the left ring finger is a symbol of your heart. That’s why when people fall in love, they buy a ring to seal their love for each other.”

Moin looked up briefly to see everyone watching her with interest. The information seemed to be new to them, and it was clear that they were fascinated by this tradition of the Human World. With a deep breath she steeled herself as she continued.

“Those rings are usually silver or gold. But… I got tired of love. Of giving it, and of waiting for it. As I grew up, I learned that love is always fleeting. So I never believed in marriage. That’s why mine is black… I chose it to symbolize sealing my heart.”

Her lips were pressed into a thin line as she glanced down at her ring, unsure of what to say as a silence settled around them. Just as she was about to speak up, her gaze widened in surprise, fixed on the tan hand that now held hers. The Demon Lord’s black nails gleamed beside her black ring, and she felt a slight twinge in her heart as she slowly raised her gaze to meet his wistful look. Diavolo gave her a sad smile as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze with a shake of his head.

“You’re lying, Moin.”

Still trying to process the warmth of his hand enveloping hers, Moin stared at the red-haired prince in surprise and confusion, her lashes fluttering as she blinked rapidly. Diavolo’s sad smile became slightly amused at the expression of obvious shock on Moin’s face. His gaze filled with an encouraging warmth as he brushed a thumb over the black ring on her ring finger.

“You say you’re tired of love, but that’s not true. Look at you. You’re so full of love. Your soul is pure and white, radiating with the love you hold. The love that you showed the brothers. The love that brought them to love you.”

Moin swallowed harshly as she lowered her gaze, her bangs covering her face as she felt tears well up in her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut, a desperate attempt to keep the tears at bay as she tightened her grip on the young prince’s hand. A soft smile graced his features as he gently squeezed her hand, silently showing that he wasn’t going to let go.

“Even Lucifer loves you. Isn’t that right, Lucifer?”

The Avatar of Pride let out a quiet sigh, his ruby gaze fixed on the small girl. His gaze was unreadable as he took in the way she was still bowing her head, her red locks casting a shadow of her eyes. Yet, something seemed to shift within him, his voice soft as he leaned forward to pat Moin’s head.

“Of course.”

Moin looked up at him in surprise, giving him a grateful smile as she wiped away a stray tear with her free hand. Deciding that he had done enough, Lucifer gave her head one last pat before pulling away. Her gaze shifted from Lucifer to Diavolo, before glancing at Barbatos, and finally settling on the hand that was still clasped with Diavolo’s.

“I… I just still can’t believe that I did all of that. I feel like I didn’t do much to deserve-”

Moin broke off in the middle of her sentence as Diavolo pulled her hand to his chest. The steady beating of his heart sent a wave of security over her as he gazed at her with warm golden eyes.

“Moin…”

She swallowed harshly, unable to draw her gaze away from the Demon Prince as he continued.

“You deserve it all. I’m so proud of you, Moin. And all of us are grateful for your presence. After all, if it wasn’t for you, who knows how long this farce would have lasted?”

His eyes closed to crescents as he gave a warm smile, his thumb rubbing small circles on the back of her hand.

“I’m glad it was you.”

Moin gave up on fighting her tears, letting them fall freely as she flung her arms around Diavolo’s neck. Once more, a grateful smile tugged on the corners of her lips as she hugged him. Diavolo blinked in surprise, faintly aware of Lucifer and Barbatos sharing a surprised glance themselves. Then a quiet whisper drew his attention back to the one in his arms.

“Thank you…”

He let out a light chuckle, gently returning the embrace as he rubbed her back.

“No, Moin. I should be the one thanking you.”

Lucifer’s expression was blank as he took a sip of his tea, setting the cup back down with careful and controlled movements. His ruby gaze was fixed on the small girl that was not pulling away from the Demon Prince. His grip on the cup tightened ever so slightly as he watched her smile at Lord Diavolo.

She had done so much for him. No, not just him. For all his brothers. An unfamiliar warmth blossomed in his chest as he watched her, but the feeling quickly twisted as Lord Diavolo wiped the tears from Moin’s cheeks.

He was happy to see her smile. Happy that she was there with them. But deep down, he also felt jealous. Jealous that she wasn’t in his arms. Jealous that the smile wasn’t directed at him.

“Is everything alright, Lucifer?”

The quiet voice of the Demon Butler shook the Avatar of Pride out of his thoughts. He glanced at Moin and Lord Diavolo, checking that they hadn’t heard the seemingly harmless question before turning to meet the mossy green gaze that watched him with interest. Barbatos placed a hand on his chin, tilting his head slightly as he awaited an answer. Lucifer placed a hand on his chest, pushing down the feelings that had been rising within him as he responded with a controlled smile.

“Of course.”

#obey me mc #moin mc #self indulgent shit

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charlieconwayy · 3 years

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D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996) is the best Ducks movie and a flawless coming of age movie

It’s no secret that The Mighty Ducks are a beloved trilogy. The three films spawned a professional NHL team named in their honor, 2021 sequel series, as well as many knockoff films released in the 1990s. But with any movie series, fans tend to rank the films and have passionate opinions on which is the best. For most Ducks fans, the answer is simple: D2. It has the Bash Brothers, Team USA dominating, the iconic “Ducks Fly Together” scene and two Queen songs. What’s not to love? But upon a rewatch of the trilogy, I came to realize that it’s not D2, or even the original, that is the best in the series.

It’s the criminally underrated 1996 D3 that for me, is the most mature and has the most heart. Perhaps it’s that the Ducks are now old enough to carry their own weight on screen. Perhaps it’s that the film takes a look at trauma, specifically trauma in teenagers, and how that manifests itself. Perhaps it’s that the film is maybe ahead of its time, in the way it discusses classism, racism and sexism. There is so much about this overly hated film that makes it the best Ducks movie and a perfect coming of age film.

The movie starts presumably a few years following the Ducks’ win against Iceland. They all look noticeably older - definitely older than the middle schoolers we left behind in 1994 - and all of the male Ducks’ voices have dropped a few octaves. Gordon Bombay, played by Emilio Estevez, is presenting the team (except for unfortunately, Jesse Hall, a leader among the Ducks who would’ve made for a strong presence in this mature film, as well as Portman, but we’ll get to him later) with scholarships to his alma mater, Eden Hall, a preparatory high school in Minnesota. Charlie Conway, played by a young, pre-Dawson’s Creek Joshua Jackson, is the Ducks’ captain and unspoken leader. There’s been much debate over the years over whether or not Charlie is the true captain of the Ducks. Adam Banks, played by Vincent Larusso, is far and away better than practically every Duck combined. Fulton Reed, played by Elden Henson, has shown more maturity and leadership at this point. It’s probably true that the Ducks as a team think that Charlie is Captain because of Bombay’s favoritism towards him (and his mother), but I think that this film makes it abundantly clear why Charlie is the captain.

D3 is Charlie’s story. We see that in the opening scene, when Bombay tells Charlie he will not be following the team to Eden Hall, accepting a job instead in California. We learned in the original Mighty Ducks film, that Charlie and his mother left a bad situation in Charlie’s father when Charlie was very young. We also hear about Charlie’s mother, Casey’s marriage to a new man in the D2, who we can assume from what Jan says, that Charlie doesn’t like. We see in that first film, Charlie’s reaction to Bombay announcing that he is leaving the Ducks after the two of them have formed a bond. It is very clear that Charlie deals with abandonment issues, stemming from trauma in his early childhood. Charlie freaks out when a D3 Bombay announces the same thing, and storms off.

Change is the biggest theme in D3. We see how change affects each of the Ducks, even those who don’t get many lines. Some, like Russ Tyler, played by SNL’s Kenan Thompson, think it’s a good thing. All of the Ducks don’t come from good neighborhoods and we assume that most of them don’t have the best home lives, especially when Charlie tells their new coach, Orion, played by Jeffrey Nordling, that the Ducks are the only good thing that any of them have had. Going to a preparatory school should be a good thing for them. But for most of them, it’s not. The new Ducks (who by the way, three of which are people of color, and one of which, is a woman) are immediately told that “their kind” is not welcome at Eden Hall. The Varsity team claim that they feel this way because the captain’s younger brother was not admitted onto the JV team because of the Ducks’ scholarships, but it’s very clear what they really mean. Russ commented that he’s the only black person on the whole campus earlier, and he, Luis Mendoza (The Sandlot’s Mike Vitar) and Ken Wu (Justin Wong) are the only people of color we see in the film. Change takes a toll on each member of the team. We see it the most in Charlie, but we also hear from Fulton on how the separation from his best friend, Dean Portman (Aaron Lohr), who decided not to enroll at Eden Hall, is taking a toll on him. Connie (Margerite Moreau) and Guy (Garrette Henson) have presumably broken up, as the two small scenes we get of them, they are arguing. It’s a transition period, one that the first year of high school often is. But it’s also a look on how a rich, white privileged world is vastly different than the one that the Ducks are used to.

Coach Orion seems like a hardass, especially when he tells Charlie at their first practice that he will no longer be “Captain Duck” (as coined by D2’s Gunnar Stahl, played by Scott Whyte, who now plays the level-headed Varsity goalie Scooter). This, to the Ducks, is a line in the sand. Ever since Bombay turned District 5 into the Ducks four years previous, Charlie has been their captain. They’re in a whole new environment, where the man who gave them so much happiness and so many friendships isn’t, and their “little Duck tricks” won’t work anymore. Orion thinks Charlie is a showoff, and perhaps he is. This Charlie is vastly different than the sweet, shy Charlie we see in D1 and D2. But this Charlie is older, has just been abandoned by a man he considered a father, and is being harassed on a daily basis for being, as Varsity Captain Reilly puts it, “white trash.” I find it hard to believe sometimes that fans can look at Charlie from the outside, and not see who he is on the inside. All of Charlie’s closest relationships that we see portrayed in this movie, are with women. His mother (who he, as a teenage boy, says “I love you” to in the final scene of the movie), his teammates, Connie and Julie, who he gets a lot more screentime with, and with new love interest, Linda (Margot Finley).

I think now is a great time to talk about the shockingly impressive way all of the female characters are portrayed in this series, particularly this movie, especially for a 90s sports film. Connie has always been a leader on and off the ice. She’s in a relationship with Guy, but it’s not her only character trait. Dubbed “the Velvet Hammer” by Averman (Matt Doherty), she stands up for herself, and for her shy teammates (she literally shoves Peter Mark - a character cut out of D2 and D3 for good reason - in D1 when he insults Charlie) and stands up to the entire Varsity team despite them telling her that they hope they can “fight” with her later. Julie “The Cat” Gaffney (Columbe Jacobsen) is the second best player on the Ducks, despite the little ice time (thanks, Bombay) we see her have. She is the first person to tell of the Varsity, telling Captain Reilly that his little brother “just wasn’t good enough.” She’s a huge facilitator in the fire ant prank and despite the very weird and out of character game she had against the Blake Bears, shows that she deserves the number one goalie slot that Reilly gives her - despite what Goldberg, and the obvious underlying sexism there, have to say. I’ve also always been very impressed with Charlie’s mother, Casey (Heidi Kling). Although she has a romance with Bombay in D1, she makes it clear from the get go that her first priority is Charlie. We know that she took the two of them away from an abusive situation, and she’s a goddamn hero for that. Her scenes in D3 are limited, but they always show her chastising Charlie’s antics and encouraging him to stay in school. It goes unsaid, but it’s clear that she knows that he’s not going to get an education this good in the problematic public school system. But according to Linda, Charlie’s love interest, the private school system is no better. The first time we see Linda, she is protesting the “outdated” Warriors team name. This was in a 1996 kids movie, no less. She holds her own against Charlie, calling him out when he’s wrong. No one aside from Charlie, and maybe Fulton, get much screentime or lines aside from Bombay and Orion, but her presence and the point of her character is clear - not every rich person agrees with the horrible things that wealthy people do.

Back to the plot.

When the Ducks receive their positions, they learn that Banks, as a freshman, has made Varsity. From an outside perspective, they seems obvious. Banks is the best player we see in any of the films, definitely miles better than the losers on Varsity, so it seems obvious that he would be promoted. But Banks is unhappy with this. Adam Banks is a fan favorite character, definitely due to the sweet, understated performance by Larusso, but we don’t see much of him. From what we do see of him though, he underwent a huge character arc from D1 to now. In D1, Banks goes against his father’s protests and joins the Ducks, claiming that he “just wants to play hockey.” Here in D3, we see that Banks is utterly miserable despite playing with some of the best players in the state, purely because he’s not with his friends. At the end of the film, he makes the (questionable) decision to rejoin the Ducks and go against the Varsity. But Varsity seems to feel that Banks fits in with them, for obvious reasons. He’s the only Duck who comes from an affluent background, and he’s definitely the most clean cut. Captain Reilly is visibly angry in the final showdown with the Ducks that they no longer have Banks on their side, as if he’s betrayed “his kind.”

The turning point of the film comes when after Charlie has quit the freshman team (no longer the Ducks), Hans, a father figure to the Ducks and Bombay, suddenly passes away. It’s an insanely dark moment for a Disney film, especially when Bombay returns to the funeral and reminds the Ducks that it was “Hans who taught them to fly” and Charlie storms off, crying. I think Joshua Jackson, in the Ducks films, as well as in Dawson’s Creek, is phenomenally good at portraying teenagers who wouldn’t normally be seen as leading men. Who let their emotions overtake them, who have anger issues, who deal with familial problems. Characters like that in leading roles were almost unheard of in the 90s, and in the upcoming scenes, it reminds us why this side of Charlie that we’ve seen throughout the movie is not the only side of Charlie.

Bombay takes Charlie to the rink to see Orion skating with his disabled daughter, who was injured in a car accident. He reveals to Charlie that Orion quit the NHL to take care of her, and this immediately changes Charlie’s opinion of him, but he’s still unconvinced about rejoining the team. The next scene is without question, the greatest and most important scene of the trilogy. The last two films spent way too much time telling us how great of a person Bombay was, how he was the Minnesota Miracle Man,despite us seeing so little of that onscreen. We see him making mistake after mistake, hurting the team, being an unjustified dick to those around him. But this scene more than makes up for all of that. I’ve put the quote from this scene below.

Bombay: I was like you, Charlie. When I played hockey, I was a total hot shot. I tried to take control of every game. I wound up quitting. So I tried the law. I ruled the courtroom, but inside, I’m a mess. Start drinking. Man, I was going down. But then this great thing happened, maybe the best thing ever - I got arrested and sentenced to community service. And there you were - Charlie and the Ducks. And as hard as I fought it, there you were. You gave me a life, Charlie, and I want to say thank you. I told Orion about all of this when I talked to him about taking over. I told him that you were the heart of the team and that you would learn something from each other. I told him that you were the real Minnesota Miracle Man.

Charlie: You did?

Bombay: I did. So be that man, Charlie. Be that man.

It’s a callback to D2, when Jan tells Bombay “Be that man, Gordon. Be that man.” This scene is flawless. Every good thing that has happened to the Ducks, came because of Charlie’s heart. It came because of that game when Charlie refused to cheat, and made Bombay see his wrongs. It came because of when Bombay first tried to quit the team, and seeing how hurt Charlie was, agreed to stay. It was Charlie who stepped out of the game against Iceland so that Banks could play. It was Charlie who found them Russ. Giving the credit to a young, emotionally unstable teenager, rather than their Emilio Estevez, hotshot Bombay, is the best thing this series ever did.

This movie, in my opinion, is nearly flawless. Every moment has been planned to make the same point - change sucks. Especially when you’re a teenager. Even more so when you’re a teenager with trauma.

#the mighty ducks #gordon bombay #charlie conway #meta #i'm so proud of this pls read gay people!!!

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milk-addicc · 4 years

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I really liked that post you made about how Capcom feels about Narumitsu. And I'm wondering how do you think they feel about Narumayo? Personally to me it feels like they throw more hints at Narumitsu since with the other one if Takami wanted it to be canon he would of done it at the end of T&T. I also think the team could of made it more obvious in SoJ with Maya's big return but I never really saw the hints but I know I'm biased lol.

oh i’m glad you like my rambles haha;;

ahh... that ship,

well first, about the whole Takumi “wanting narumitsu to be canon” thing, its not exactly making them canon but have more fanservice leaning heavy towards narumitsu (which was declined by the director(?) who claimed, i sorta agree with, that the game did well even without the narumitsu hinting since in the first game they didn’t have that intention and it was pure coincidence that their relationship was just THAT deep and meaningful which is incredible lmao, Takumi and co managed to slip his warning and still put at least some of the hints in TT tho hhh-). so even then, i doubt the crew actually want the endgame to come so soon hh.

okay, back on topic. what i think about naru//mayo? yea, i’m not keen on that ship personally at all, actually i despise it. like, they first met in the office, in front of their dead loved one, Mia. Maya was 17, Phoenix was 24. you have Maya, who’s supposedly still in HIGH SCHOOL and Phoenix, who has GRADUATED COLLEGE, has a JOB, and most likely has PAID HIS OWN BILLS. from that point alone, it should already feel weird.

Maya’s an adolescence, a teenager, she just lost her sister and barely grew up, in a way she’s still innocent, notice how she tend to ask random questions and or say things that she thinks makes sense or amusing, she tends to be naive too. its kinda like.. a child.

and Phoenix on the other hand, is a grown man. heck even Maya says he’s an “old fart”, they’re legit aware of their own age gap in game and outright say it. if anything, they both act like self-aware best friends/brother-sister than romantically. even Maya said it herself, she wants to be a good big sister for Pearl and Nick.

now how about we ignore this obvious fact just for a little while and try to see it from only their interactions in-franchise. heres the kicker, you may not see it in game since they only lightly nudges about this ship (usually with Pearl, and was dismissed by Maya right after.), but in some of AA spin off mangas (and from what i heard, one of the stage shows), for some reason, this ship has their own hints despite being completely aware that Maya is a teenager.

but its okay now don’t hold your breaths,

their “hints” are more of a one-off ish thing, most of the time a gag and not taken seriously, and unlike other ship per say narumitsu, where it actually affects their lives and changed it forever IN-GAME. “i care about Maya and understands her” and “i became an attorney because of you, Edgeworth and i don’t have any regrets” are both literally incomparable, especially given Phoenix and Edgeworth’s history together in-game canon.

anyway, here’s some common arguments i’ve encountered about this particular ship :

“but Phoenix cares about Maya a lot! he literally went through a trial against a hitman and run through a burning bridge for her!”

“Phoenix blushed and goes red when Pearl says he’s Maya’s special someone and he stutters!”

“Well my parents had a huge age gap!"

“well, Maya is 18 in AA2″

“considering Maya is a christmas cake now, Nick better tap that”

“she’s an adult in AA6 tho”

now lets dissect each of these,

yes, Phoenix cares about Maya a lot he literally did cross a burning bridge for her but people seem to forget that this is the same man who turned his life around, abandon his dreams, study law for four years, and became an attorney to meet one man and willing to defend a girl who looks like his psychotic ex that nearly poisoned him in court. he literally would believe in his clients’s innocence no matter what, he’s by nature would sacrifice anything and even his life for someone. so its normal that he cares about Maya, but is it romantic? i doubt it, he cares about her safety and well being but does it have to be a romantic hint? no, of course not, he’s just very selfless for the people he cares about and Maya has no one to help her but Nick when she’s in trouble, he’s one of few adults she can trust and will help her out.

oh so blushing and stuttering due to embarrassment means having feelings now? and about the stuttering, he literally stutters around Edgeworth a lot lol. i’m starting to feel like people ships naru//mayo not because of their depth but because Pearl said so. Pearl finds them should be together and keep shoving the audience with Nick being “Mystic Maya’s special someone”, well if thats the case, they also explained why this happened, in-game. Pearl grew up very sheltered and among unhealthy marriages she just assumes a girl and a boy together means they’re dating and being “special someones”. she most likely just wants her cousin to be in a happy relationship unlike her parents where her father left both her and her mother but didn’t know any better because she was eight years old.

https://youtu.be/FGAqQkMEKNs?start=674&end=776

now about the parent thing and taking it personal, well my parents too had a huge age-gap of 7 years. but how come is it okay? its because they met when my mum was already a career woman at 26. she’s already an adult when my dad met her. what does this mean? it means my parents were both adults when they’re together, this is why i still like GumMaggey despite their age gap so wide, they first met when Maggey has already had a career, supposedly in her 20′s, she’s a young adult, she can buy alcohol by herself, already knows whats right and wrong and has live life independently, not a still hormonal teenager who depends on one adult figure. did your parents date when your mum is in highschool while your dad is like in his mid 20′s? sorry to hear that.

as for the last three arguments, i don’t even want to touch any of them with a five-foot pole. are you listening to yourself? do you not feel like you’re a creep typing that?

let me give you a benefit of the doubt. yes she’s older and legally an adult, but are you really discrediting the fact they met when Maya was still in highschool? they met and became friends when she’s 17 and he’s 24. sure they barely met during disbarment era, but should that change anything? why should it? how should it? like this?

“Oh this is Maya, i haven’t met her in years but boy she sure has grown up can’t wait to date her since she’s legal now.”

because thats what that argument sounds like, YIKES.

you know? if they met under a different circumstance and Maya was like 19, i’d let it go. but they didn’t, they met because of a horrible loss, Maya, still in training, 17 lost her big sister and Phoenix, a rookie, at 24 lost his mentor.

in conclusion, i don’t like naru//mayo at all

pairing them feels like pairing Edgeworth with Kay or Phoenix with Ema, just because they partnered in investigations, make playful jabs at each other, and saved each others’s lives before, people just think they like each other romantically despite their age-gap in first meetings (not to mention Kay sees Edgeworth as somewhat of a father figure, and she’s nearly 18 while Edgeworth is the same age as Phoenix). especially with how Maya, being a zoomer, calls Phoenix an “old fart” and just makes jokes about how so out-of-touch Phoenix is with the modern entertainment.

from observations, i have a huge hunch that almost all of them pair these two because :

1. Maya’s a girl protagonist so its a male protagonist x female protagonist type of deal and despise narumitsu because “yaoi”

2. AA6 she’s an adult so she’s legal which is damn creepy on its own, or last

3. because of Pearl shipping them in game despite being an eight year old and was so sheltered she thought a man and a woman being next to each other means they’re special someones.

either way, i only see them as best friends, sibling-like relationship with self awareness here and there since they tease the audience a lot with their gag “hints” in spin-off mangas and game.

not only that, it kinda showcase how all male/female bond don’t have to be romantic, they can be just friends or familial and still hang together. another plus for the franchise right after encouraging moving on from ex partners. *glancing at Phoenix//Iris*

and as to the people who pairs this for some odd reasons, sometimes i just want to ask these questions,

“how would you feel if you’re in Phoenix’s shoes? met your mentor’s little sister at age 17 while you’re 24, would you feel romantically interested in this high schooler?” because i don’t, to me anyone 3 years younger than me is like a baby, how would Phoenix feel when Maya’s 7 years younger?

“also... why even? narumitsu and other less questionable pairings are RIGHT THERE in the open!”

but oh well people can like and pair whatever hhh,

and there you have it, my even longer rambling hahaha sorry;;

Edit : To add the final nail to the coffin, Phoenix outright has said that Maya’s like his kid, like a niece.

Edit 2 : remember that this is simply my personal take, you can somewhat use this to make yourself feel better about your pair nor simply just to hate on the ship itself but do not use this to dictate actual people what to ship and not to ship.

please don’t be destructive towards others.

#NOT n*rumayo #notp #naru//mayo #can't ship them sorry #im almost 20 and everyone 3 years younger feels like a child #imagine being phoenix and knowing maya is like 7 years younger jfc #slight #narumitsu #encouragement lol #dont harrass the shippers of it please

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dropintomanga · 3 years

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Yuta Okkotsu - The Curse and Blessing of Love (Jujutsu Kaisen)

"I've always believed that love manifests the most distorted curses."

Before the curse of Ryomen Sukuna became the main problem in Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen, there was another curse that was feared/revered in the Jujutsu world. A complication to that curse was that it was associated with a then-timid young man who was trying to find meaning in his life. Yuta Okkotsu (who would become one of the strongest characters in the series so far) was dealing with grief and his origin story in Volume 0 spoke volumes about what's scary and joyful about love.

Back when he was a child, Yuta was in love with a childhood friend of his named Rika Orimoto. One day, Rika gave Yuta a ring as his birthday gift to put on his finger as a way of proclaiming marriage with one another when they grow up. Rika then gets hit by a car afterwards and dies on the spot. Yuta, who witnesses the incident, becomes traumatized and accidently curses Rika, who was begging him to help her. Rika's spirit becomes insanely devoted to him and starts causing harm to other people. When Yuta becomes bullied in school, Rika comes out to severely hurt his assailants. Yuta is then transferred to Jujutsu High to learn how to break the curse while dealing with the possibility of being executed for having a curse like Rika, who was starting to become more powerful at the time.

When Yuta is first approached by Satoru Gojo, the one teacher in Jujutsu High who opposes Yuta's execution, Yuta talks about how he doesn't want to interact with anyone because of his curse. He wanted to kill himself, but Rika wouldn't allow it. There's a lot of unhealthy guilt here which isn't exactly his fault. I sometimes feel like some kids (like Yuta) are afraid to get close to people so they don't get hurt or hurt other people. They see the pressure of fitting in. There's this fear that no one will like them after discovering what flaws they have.

Sometimes, that fear happens even in adults which can lead to issues like social anxiety and loneliness. Yuta admits that he wants to help people and be around people. He just didn't know how. I realize that a lot of advice given towards youth is very focused on what to do rather than how to do it. The "what" is super important, yes, but there's not enough emphasis on the proper steps needed to make the "what" happen. Of course, the "how" part is sometimes vague and generalized.

That's why for youth, the focus should be to take things one step at a time. For Yuta, it's just to learn how to exorcise curses and using Rika (the source of his trauma) to help others. Youth want to do amazing things with their lives, but are stunted due to mixed messaging and cultural/societal constraints that easily label them for "safety" reasons. Even worse is when youth are rushed in a way to do great things that feels more performative (i.e. doing things on a "to do" list to feel productive) and not because they genuinely want to.

Yuta would become a target of Jujutsu Kaisen's main antagonist, Suguru Geto. Geto wants to add Rika (he calls her the "Queen of Curses") to his collection of curses. When the two do fight, an overmatched Yuta decides to sacrifice his life by using Rika's powers to enhance his own cursed energy in order to defeat Geto. Yuta declares to Rika that he loves her and that they can die together with a bang. Yuta does beat Geto and was ready to accept his fate much to the chagrin of his classmates.

However, the curse on Rika ends up being broken as Yuta was able to finally let Rika move on to the afterlife with the words he expressed earlier during the fight with Geto. Goto tells Yuta that he's a descendant of a great Jujutsu sorcerer and that's why he was able to curse Rika. Yuta realizes his love for Rika was perhaps more intense than Rika's love for Yuta.

Love can go extreme in both ways. When it's good, it's one of the most beautiful feelings in the world. When it's bad, it keeps someone stuck. One of the tricky things and hardest parts of growing up is dealing with the effects of love. Yuta thought back to when he saw Rika die and how he basically told her "Don't die!" when it was already too late. Love can cause loneliness as professing your love to someone can feel like a demand.

I think the scary thing is when someone important in our life suddenly dies, we don't how to grieve or take time to. Or the grief swallows us whole. Youth usually have it worse with grief than adults. Their understanding of death is usually limited especially when many adults treat death as a taboo subject.

Before Yuta became a Jujutsu High student, he kept on thinking that he was a victim due to Rika being destructive. No one could understand his pain and trauma. That's what he believed for a while. There's a scene where the character Maki Zenin chastises Yuta for being a bit too passive for his own good.

I liked the approach that Gojo takes with Yuta when discussing his problems. When Yuta says he was okay with dying, Gojo didn't say anything like "Oh, but you have so much to live for." He suggests that his curse might be useful and that Yuta should see for himself before deciding suicide. Gojo sensed Yuta's loneliness. He tries to encourage a reframe of Yuta's thoughts ("Rika's too scary. I'm sorry she caused so much pain. It's all my fault.") to something better ("Rika's strength can save lives.") based around Yuta's values (being helpful and kind).

Reframing pain in a way that appeals to one's core values is what really drives progress. You can't just provide the silver lining as a solution unless you really understand the person you're saying it to. You need to think about what really matters to them.

I could go on and on about Yuta's story because love shouldn't be devoted to just one person. A single person can't (and shouldn't) do everything for you. I think about why marriages have failed and a big reason is that couples expect their partners to be everything they lack in themselves. It's mentally draining. While Yuta and Rika's relationship wasn't that of a married couple, its intensity felt somewhat similar to a real-life relationship. Just like how fast-paced reality has cursed a good number of marriages, the cursed sorcery of the Jujutsu world was taking its toll on both their lives and had lingering effects on those around them.

But while love hurts, I think it's important to experience what good things come out of it when it's reciprocated in return. A single relationship can lead to more quality relationships with other people. Love teaches you how to be appreciative of other people in your life.

Before Yuta defeated Geto with his enhanced strength given by Rika, Yuta proclaims that his actions are those of pure love while Geto proclaims that his actions are those of justice. So yeah, pure love over justice as it's a huge step up. Pure love revolves around embracing the flaws of people while justice isn't always that understanding. To me, that's the real sorcery we need to learn and master for the real-life curses in our world to be reversed.

#Jujutsu Kaisen #manga #anime #psychology #youth #japanese pop culture #grief #love #mental health #Yuta Okkotsu

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nordleuchten · 3 years

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Hi ! Facts about the Lafayette couple. Thanks.

Hello Anon,

well, well, the La Fayette couple, Adrienne and Gilbert - where to even begin with these two? Their marriage was arranged and arranged marriages were very common for the time and people of their position. A family with wealth, a title and influence was keen on preserving all of this – and tried to add to it by trying to arranging marriages with families who as well had at least one of these things. A truly popular combination was a family with a great name/title that had fallen on hard times and a very rich family without too great a name. Now, La Fayette and Adrienne were lucky in so far as that they really loved each other. Their marriage was far more than pure convenience. Still, not everything was picture perfect. La Fayette had different mistresses and although he loved Adrienne, I always feel like it took him quite some time to realise just how wonderful Adrienne truly was, how loyal and devoted. It was not entirely uncommon that a man and a women in an arranged marriage barely know each other prior to their marriage. That again was different with La Fayette and Adrienne. La Fayette actually lived with his future in-laws together in their house prior to the marriage. Behind the scenes everything had already been sorted out, but the bride and the groom were still none the wiser (although La Fayette was told before Adrienne was told). Partly responsible for this living-arrangement was Adrienne’s mother, the Duchess d’Ayen. She was the metaphorical lioness protecting her cubs. She was fiercely protective of her daughters and thought that Adrienne was still way too young. So La Fayette moved in with them, they had some time to get to know each other and to mature a bit. La Fayette also won over the Duchess, who was a bit skeptical at first.

When La Fayette and Adrienne finally married, she was fourteen and he was sixteen. Their marriage contract stated that they should continue to live with Adrienne’s family and that their marriage was not be consumed for some time. This rule again was included due to the input of the Duchess – who still thought her daughter way too young for any martial endeavours. Regardless of that, Adrienne became pregnant with the couples first child during this proposed period – the popular opinion is, that La Fayette after some time simply wanted to be with Adrienne and sneaked into her room (something that he supposedly confessed to later in life). Whatever happened, they both seemed quite happy.

When La Fayette departed for America, Adrienne was completely clueless, she said that herself but there is also circumstancel evidence to support her statement. She had a young and sickly daughter to look after, a daughter that would die a few months later when La Fayette was still in America. She furthermore was pregnant with their second child and Paris was on fire with rumours. Newspapers printed rumours about La Fayette’s death on the field or something similar every other day and she often had no possibility of hearing from her husbands for months and months (before La Fayette’s first return to France they had not heard from one another for roughly eight months). The news of the death of their oldest child Henriette reached La Fayette so late that he send Adrienne many letters asking about Henriette, asking if she was well, long after Henriette was deceased. But despite all of it, Adrienne put up a brave face in public and never complaint. In general, whether she agreed with her husband or nor, weather she liked what he did or not, she never criticised him in public, never embarrassed or questioned him in front of others.

After the conclusion of the war in America La Fayette and Adrienne together with their children moved into their own home. They were, for people of their time and status, very engaged parents. They started hosting their “American Dinners” on Mondays and Adrienne was also included in La Fayette’s “Plantation-Project”. La Fayette kept a lively correspondence with George Washington but Adrienne also exchanged letters with Washington. There is one lovely, humours account by Washington in a letter to La Fayette dated September 30, 1779:

“(...) But at present must pray your patience a while longer, till I can make a tender of my most respectful compliments to the Marchioness. Tell her (if you have not made a mistake, & offered your own love instead of hers to me) that I have a heart susceptable of the tenderest passion, & that it is already so strongly impressed with the most favourable ideas of her, that she must be cautious of putting loves torch to it; as you must be in fanning the flame. But here again methinks I hear you say, I am not apprehensive of danger—My wife is young—you are growing old & the atlantic is between you—All this is true, but know my good friend that no distance can keep anxious lovers long asunder, and that the Wonders of former ages may be revived in this—But alas! will you not remark that amidst all the wonders recorded in holy writ no instance can be produced where a young Woman from real inclination has prefered an old Man—This is so much against me that I shall not be able I fear to contest the prize with you—yet, under the encouragement you have given me I shall enter the list for so inestimable a jewell.”

This is just such a funny, carefree, teasing letter between the three of them. Its adorable. But these carefree times soon came to an end with the onset of the French Revolution (you could argue that the Revolution had already begun long prior to 1789 but in that year it rapidly gained speed).

La Fayette entangled himself in the political and military matters of the day and when everything started to go down the hill (from his perspective at least) he tried to fled to America and got caught before he even could reach a harbour. Adrienne and the children stayed behind in France. Now, it had became some sort of custom that the women of (aristocrat) man who fled France during the Revolution “divorced” her husbands. (“Divorce” because these divorces were often not real civil divorces in accordance with the law but more a sort of public separation from their “treacherous and anti-republican” husbands that could get these women a passport and/or out of prison. It also opened them the opportunity to marry again later in life.) Somebody proposed a divorce to Adrienne and she was absolutely repelled by the idea. She had married La Fayette for better and for worse and she would not, not under any circumstance divorce her husband. Period. In fact, she started signing all her papers with “la femme de Lafayette”, “the wife of Lafayette”. After and eventful and fearful time, Adrienne was eventually released from her prison in France. She gathered her two daughters (her son was safe in America with his tutor) and went to Austria were La Fayette was still imprisoned in Olmütz. She had some family connections to the court in Vienna and eventually obtained the permission of sharing her husbands imprisonment. Although accounts vary, all accounts agree that Olmütz was a true hell-hole. Adrienne and her children were treated better than La Fayette - but the treatment was still not good. Soon Adrienne became ill and the prison doctor could not really do anything. Adrienne was told that she was free to go, leave this place behind, find a good doctor, settle down somewhere more comfortable. Nobody wanted to see her suffer or even die. The only stipulation, if she would leave now she was not allowed to ever return – and with that Adrienne stayed and suffered and hasted her death because she would not leave her husband behind. In my opinion her sacrifice at that moment made La Fayette understand just how incredible his wife was. He never forgot what she endured for him and her actions probably lead their relationship to unknown heights.

After they were eventually all released from prison they settled first in Danish-Holstein and then in the Netherlands before returning to France. Adrienne managed to regain a lot of the property that they had previously lost during the Revolution. Although she was successful in that regard, her health (and beauty) was forever ruined. Despite all that she took great joy in seeing her children marry and becoming a grandmother. When Adrienne died on December 24, 1807 La Fayette was absolutely shattered. He wrote a very, very long and very, very sad letter to a friend, retelling Adrienne’s last days and expressing his grieve:

“As yet you have always found me stronger than circumstances, but now this event is stronger than me. Never shall I recover from it. During the thirty - four years of an union in which her tenderness, her goodness, the elevation of her mind, charmed, adorned, honoured my life, I felt myself so used to all that she was to me, that I could not distinguish it from my own existence. She was fourteen, and I was sixteen, when her heart amalgamated itself with everything that could interest me. I knew I loved her, I knew I needed her, but it is only now that I can distinguish what life which I had thought was to have been entirely devoted to worldly matters. (...)”

The letter is really long but so worth the read if you are interested. Really! It is such an honest, open, affectionate and reflected statement of their relationship. Adrienne’s last words were “Je suis toute à vous” (I am all yours) and La Fayette had these words inscribed on a miniature of Adrienne that he constantly had upon his person. Here is an account of the portrait from Jules Germain Cloquets book “Recollections of the Private Life of General Lafayette, etc”:

“In his children he cherished the memory of their mother, (Mademoiselle de Noailles,) whom he had loved most tenderly, and whose name he never mentioned but with visible emotion. One day during his last illness, I surprised him kissing her portrait, which he always wore suspended to his neck in a small gold medallion. Around the portrait were the words, “Je suis à vous ,” and on the back was engraved this short and touching inscription, “ Je vous fus donc une douce compagne: eh bien ! benissez moi .” I have since been informed that regularly every morning Lafayette ordered Bastien [his valet] to leave the room, in which he shut himself up, and taking the portrait in both hands, looked at it earnestly, pressed it to his lips, and remained silently contemplating it for about a quarter of an hour. Nothing was more disagreeable to him than to be disturbed during this daily homage to the memory of his virtuous partner.”

I hope you have/had an awesome day!

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jjareauprentiss · 3 years

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A faithful night (Jemily Fic)

Ship: Jemily (Criminal Minds)

Warnings: Very tiny bit of smut, swearing

2025 Words.

Summary: After Will breaks off their marriage due to the stress of Jennifer’s job right after she finds out she is pregnant with their child, she seeks comfort in the arm’s of a coworker and friend, though maybe “friend” isn’t quite the word.

Emily wasn't expecting any guests. It was 3 in the morning after all. She was going through her nightly routine of being a night owl. She cleaned up and put away dishes, and was making her way to her bedroom for a quick night shower when she heard a soft, almost hesitant knock at her front door. Panic and fear set in as her right hand reached for where her holster and gun usually are on her hip only to realize those items were put away long ago before the sunset.

The brunette made her way to her door, softly, trying to mask her footsteps on the wooden floor in case the knocker was in fact someone she needed to protect herself from. To her surprise, she was met with a blonde figure turning back around and walking towards the elevator, looking disappointed, shoulders slugged and head hung low. She recognized those gold-coloured locks from a mile away and with a furrowed brow of confusion, she harshly opened the door.

"JJ?" She loudly questioned the walking blonde. When she turned around Emily saw it. Jennifer's face was completely drained of colour except for a rosy nose and red under eyes indicating many shed tears. Her hair was a mess and she was trembling head to toe throughout her small frame. Emily was a little dumbfounded and speechless at the broken look on her coworker's face. JJ opened her mouth to begin a sentence but all that came out were loud sobs as the brunette practically sprinted and engulfed her in a hug.

They stood there for what could have been hours, in each other's arms before Emily pulled away.

"Let's go inside okay?" She softly suggested, still holding on to JJ's shaking arms. She led her into her apartment and handed her a warm blanket as both women sat on the living room couch. They sat there in silence for a little while, JJ still refusing to meet her eye before getting the courage to speak, voice strained from crying.

"Emily, I- I'm really sorry I shouldn't have come over, it's late, You were probably sleeping, god I'm really sorry Em," She said as she tried to stand up from the brown couch only to be stopped by the gentle hand covering her wrist.

"Jayje, hey. You're always welcome here, you know that, and you also know I rarely am asleep at 3 am, so c'mere sit. please let me help, what's wrong?" Emily said with a soft smile slowly bringing JJ to sit back down on the couch with her.

"Uh um it's Will" JJ's voice cracked at his name. "We got in a huge fight, a couple of days ago and he um said that my job took priority over our marriage and he stormed out. When I got back today, all his stuff was out of the house. He moved back to New Orleans I guess." Emily stood completely still at this new information trying to find comforting words that could possibly help the blonde.

"Emily I'm pregnant. and I- I just I can't do this alone, I don't know what I'm going to do" She finished as she sobbed into Emily's arms. With the newest revelation, Emily was even more shocked and still trying to find some words of encouragement she just held JJ on the couch. slowly running a hand with her hair and squeezing her tight, but soon enough the blonde's breathing got more erratic, so heavy she thought she was going to pass out.

"Hey JJ!, Jennifer, honey look at me!' She loudly exclaimed pulling away, trying to get JJ's attention so she wouldn't in fact faint in her arms. And when sparkling blue eyes looked up at her she knew she succeeded.

"Breathe, slowly, It's okay, shhh I got you, I'm right here. It's all going to be okay" She whispered into her hair, holding her to her chest, having JJ mimic her breathing rhythm.

"I will be here for you, for both of you every step of the way. You have me and the whole bau by your side. I'll always be here for you Jen" She finished her loving statement by pressing a kiss to the younger agent's head. And as JJ looked up once more at her she saw a look that could only be described as pure love staring up into her own brown eyes. Nobody had ever looked at her like Jennifer was at this very moment. It was breathtaking in every way possible, realizing that maybe JJ did in fact reciprocate those strong feelings she did such a horrible job at hiding.

It was JJ who took the next step since Emily looked almost paralyzed still trying to process her emotions at the moment. She reached up, looking into Emily's chocolate coloured eyes and slowly connected their rosy lips together.

The kiss was soft, almost non-existent and it went away all too soon, when JJ pulled back, judging for a reaction from Emily.

The heaviness of the situation at hand hit Emily. How this all could have been out of a moment of desperation, longing for touch and not actually reciprocated feelings towards the brunette at all. The panic and insecurity set in and JJ saw It in Emily's eyes as she pulled away further looking at the ground in shame.

"JJ, I- 'm sorry I can't..." She looked up at the tears once again colouring JJ's face and forced herself to look back down at the carpet continuing her statement "I don't want us to do anything you will regret. I could never hurt you like that."

"Emily... please" Her broken voice pleaded at the brunette.

She took a deep breath before forcing herself to once again explain herself.

"Jennifer I love you, I've loved you for so long and I would never forgive myself if I lost you because I couldn't keep my own feelings under control" Emily pleaded back, trying to explain how much that kiss actually meant, though she really wasn't planning to confess her undying love for the blonde with that statement but all logic reasoning in Emily's brain really had been thrown out the window when JJ kissed her for the first time.

"Emily Prentiss you must be going insane if you think I would ever regret spending time with you, trusting you, kissing you or loving you for god's sake! I'm in love with you Emily Prentiss and how can you be so blind as to not see that!" JJ Screamed

"My relationship with Will. It was easy, I was going through a really rough patch when I met him, and fuck, he was there and he cared and I fell for him. But the second I saw your face at our wedding I realized my mistake. I was a coward for not telling you before and I was a coward for still going through with this marriage knowing how much I love you. I'm sorry Emily. I'm sorry I never told you how I felt" She finished, now a lot less angry.

"I didnt- I didn't know," She said now with a shocked expression on her face, mouth slightly agape, wide eyes standing by her kitchen, having walked away from the couch, after the initial shock of the kiss. Looking at JJ still sitting on her couch, now having just screamed how much she truly loved her back.

Seeing the insecurity flashing on Emily's face, her own expression softened suddenly feeling horrible for her actions.

"Well, now you do, now come over here and kiss me" She demanded

Emily finally for once in her life, took the hint and sat back down on the couch, launching herself at the younger woman's lips. This kiss was so much different than the first. It held years of broken hearts, longing stares and passion poured into every second of it.

Clothes started being removed from each other's bodies before JJ breathlessly exclaimed "bed" and Emily laughed at her antic's before grabbing JJ's hand, slowly kissing their way to her bedroom.

As JJ managed to unclip Emily's bra at the door of her bedroom she stared at Emily as pure lust filled her eyes.

"Enjoying the view?" Emily snickered seeing how JJ was staring for just a tiny bit too long.

"God, you're going to be the end of me Emily Prentiss" She laughed breathlessly, cupping the brunette's cheek, and began kissing every inch of her body, staring at her lips, slowly travelling down to her neck and collarbone. When she finally hit that one spot on her neck, she loved, Emily let out a loud moan and god did JJ love hearing it.

"I've been waiting way too long to hear those beautiful sounds from you" She whispered into Emily's neck suddenly pinning the brunette against the door and picking up her legs, wrapping them around her own waist. Emily was needless to say very surprised at the blond's strength but she wrapped her arms around her neck, letting JJ lead this one. Moving Emily to her bed, she quickly laid her down and moved to straddle her hips, in once quick move but before she could continue the attack on Emily's lips, the brunette looked into the blonde, who currently looked like a goddess from above her.

"You know, out of all the times I pictured this, you carrying me to bed was not something I thought you could do"

"You pictured this?" JJ responded with a smirk as Emily flushed with embarrassment.

"Just shut up and kiss me" She fired back quite confident now.

"Gladly" JJ winked as she went back to their earlier activities, hands roaming south and moans filling the previously quiet room.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Emily's eyes fluttered open the next morning she was almost convinced it was all a dream until she looked down her body to see blonde locks covering her own very naked chest, and small puffs of air tickling her, JJ's face almost buried in her neck. It was at this moment when she realized just how in love she was with Jennifer Jareau. She knew the road ahead was long and complicated but all she could imagine was the little family she created in her own mind. Her and JJ happy together with a young child by their side, looking the spitting image of their mother, with blonde hair and those gorgeous blue eyes she loved oh so much.

God, she was in so deep, but the way Jennifer's legs tangled in her own, and the way her toned arm was tightly wrapped around the older agent's waist, holding her impossibly close it was paradise in her eyes, and she would do just about anything to never leave it.

She was snapped out of her lingering thoughts when she felt a pair of lips lightly press a kiss to her now very bruised neck.

"What's on that pretty mind of yours?" JJ said croakily, only having just woken up, still dazed from their activities last night.

"Morning gorgeous" Emily responded sweetly as she leaned down to press another kiss on those lips she loved so much.

"Morning, love" She smiled as Emily pulled away once more. "So? I never got an answer, watcha thinking about?"

"Ah you know... how amazing it is to waking up next to you, like this"

"It's pretty great isn't it?"

"Sooo, no regrets?" Emily asked cautiously

"After what happened last night? no, never" JJ sweetly said receiving a giggle from the brunette.

"Good, good, I'm glad. But you should know I meant every word I said yesterday. I'll always love and be here for both of you for as long as you'll let me"

"That's perfect because I have no plans of ever letting you go" She replied looking into sparkling brown eyes, knowing how much love they carried.

#jemily fanfiction #jj x emily #Jennifer Jareau #emilyprentiss #emily prentiss x jennifer jareau #jemilyfic #jemily

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zaelous · 3 years

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The noble and most ancient House of Black was both a family and a cult. A cult is a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or by its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. In the case of House of Black, this philosophy and its subsequent goals were a form of magical eugenics focused on the supremacy of so-called “pure blood.” Establishing these basic principles is important at the outset in order to demonstrate how these beliefs and the House of Black’s implementation of them are what make them not just a family of extreme beliefs but a cult whose practices affected Bellatrix’s sense of identity, self esteem, and motivations, effectively forming her personhood.

I. PRINCIPLES BY DEFINITION

Eugenics is a set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population, historically by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or promoting those judged to be superior. Positive eugenics is aimed at encouraging reproduction among the genetically advantaged; for example, the reproduction of the intelligent, the healthy, and the successful. Negative eugenics aims to eliminate, through sterilization or segregation, those deemed physically, mentally, or morally undesirable.

Pure-blood supremacists believe that only pure-bloods were real witches and wizards, and were often inclined to consider themselves as the elite of the Magical world; a place in which they believed that Muggle-borns did not belong. More militant subscribers of this philosophy even consider themselves to be akin to royalty. Elitist pure-bloods even believed that it was a sign of weak magic to enjoy non-magical company. Those who are pure-blooded but do not ascribe to supremacist ideologies are considered to be blood traitors and are shunned.

Shunning can be broken down into behaviours and practices that seek to accomplish either or both of two primary goals:

To modify the behaviour of a member. This approach seeks to influence, encourage, or coerce normative behaviours from members, and may seek to dissuade, provide disincentives for, or to compel avoidance of certain behaviours. Shunning may include disassociating from a member by other members of the community who are in good standing. It may include more antagonistic psychological behaviours. This approach may be seen as either corrective or punitive (or both) by the group membership or leadership, and may also be intended as a deterrent.

To remove or limit the influence of a member (or former member) over other members in a community. This approach may seek to isolate, to discredit, or otherwise dis-empower such a member, often in the context of actions or positions advocated by that member. For groups with defined membership criteria, especially based on key behaviours or ideological precepts, this approach may be seen as limiting damage to the community or its leadership.

Concerted efforts at influence and control lie at the core of cultic groups, programs, and relationships. Many members, former members, and supporters of cults are not fully aware of the extent to which members may be manipulated, exploited, or even abused. While there is really no standardized diagnostic tool with which one can definitively say whether an organization qualifies as a cult, some social-structural, social-psychological, and interpersonal behavioral patterns can help to assess a particular group or relationship, in this instance the House of Black.

II. PATTERNS OF CONTROL & DIVISION

The group displays an excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader, and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law. This is a trait more difficult to illustrate than others, since there is no one individual leader of House Black; however, it is the root of the House Black philosophy that their ideologies and beliefs are passed down generationally, presumably from medieval times (given their family tapestry). We do see a lengthy history of the family’s current patriarch (whoever it is at any given time) enforcing these ideologies on other family members by excommunicating anyone whom they deem to have fallen out of line with the House of Black doctrine. The fact that excommunication from the family is even a thing that exists and that it furthermore is seen as the ultimate form of punishment emphasizes two things:

Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished. There is no room in the House of Black to politely disagree or hold any sort of discourse on ideals. Even at the tender young age of sixteen, Sirius was summarily blasted off of the family tapestry and considered a traitor by the Black family for expressing his malcontent and running away to the Potters, a blood traitor family. Any member of House Black is obliged to conform to their ideologies or be expelled, which is seen as the worst possible outcome.

The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave—or even consider leaving—the group. In a normative, healthy family situation, being formally dismissed from the group usually only occurs under dire circumstances and often even then doesn’t fully occur at all. The implementation of characters such as Sirius and Andromeda prove early on that the family’s dogmatic beliefs are non-negotiable and that deviation has consequences.

The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and control members. Often this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion. This might be considered to be a more headcanon-y than explanatory point, given I don’t readily have any examples of shame or guilt being utilized directly, but given that these other points exist and are true within the narrative, it would be impossible for those things to have occurred without the use of shame and guilt to manipulate family members, even in occasions when it isn’t intended to deliberately. The peer pressure aspect of control is an especially pointed aspect of the situation, given that they are a family, having one’s entire family ascribe to certain beliefs and practices makes it a given.

The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (e.g., members must get permission to date, change jobs, or marry—or leaders prescribe what to wear, where to live, whether to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth). This is a point easily illustrated by again referring to the tapestry blasting incident(s), as it was up to the Black patriarch what should be done about betrayals, and he even further punished those who continued to support Sirius in violation of his ruling. However, it’s also common for House Black to arrange marriages between family members to those families whose ideologies align with their own, and if a suitable match cannot be found, to keep the blood pure by arranging marriages within the family itself. These marital practices tie in with other notable behaviors (elitism, polarization, isolation), but most importantly, they illustrate an aspect of positive eugenics, which is the practice of selective breeding.

III. GENDER ROLES

The whole point of this excessively lengthy essay is to explain how and why selective breeding is canon and thereby explain my headcanons for Bellatrix’s relationship to her beliefs and her gender and why the two are inherently linked. The entire concept of supremacy and eugenics relies on the continuation of the genetic precepts that the supremacists view to be superior-- that is, there is an inherent obligation within these beliefs to carry on the pureblooded genes and to provide the future generation of supremacists. The brunt of this endeavor obviously falls upon women, as they bear children, but given the patrilineal and patriarchal nature of the family structure (and that of English culture in the 1950s), the implication is that rather than wanting women who can bear these children, the desire is for male heirs to carry on the family name and the family bloodline, which is their most sacred duty.

Having been born a woman in the House of Black was to have been born with a form of original sin in that Bellatrix had already failed to be a male heir. Her only recompense for this initial transgression is to go on to provide male heirs, especially given that her mother died trying (and failing) to do so. While there is very little personal information available about Cygnus Black, we do know that his wife provided him with three daughters rather than a son, and died giving birth to Narcissa and left him to raise these daughters alone. Without a doubt, Cygnus would have viewed his failure to provide a male heir as a shortcoming, and given that his wife was dead, there was no way for him to vent his resentment on her. This is where we cross over into headcanon territory because I can’t prove anything about who Cygnus Black was as a person from the original text; however, it stands to reason giving the existing evidence and narrative structure (and how his daughters each turned out) that he was not a well man and that subsequently Bellatrix’s childhood was not a healthy or happy one as a result of that.

As the oldest child, Bella had little in the way of protection from her father’s dictatorship, although she did her best to shield her sisters from it once she had sisters. She always took the brunt of her father’s expectations, and his wrath should those expectations fail to be met. This is why, of all the Black sisters, Bellatrix held her supremacist values and mission the closest to her heart, and why I believe she and Narcissa held such a close relationship despite the onset of Bellatrix’s very obvious descent into madness. I also believe this is the key difference between Bellatrix and Sirius: although they both came from House Black, they grew up to be polar opposites. I think it was Rowling’s intention here to illustrate that no matter where you come from, you choose your own beliefs and destiny and you can choose to be good rather than evil or some shit, but I don’t think it’s necessarily as clear as simply choosing a different set of beliefs. I think that Sirius and Bellatrix were raised in very different conditions that instilled the same beliefs differently, and therefore had a different effect. Then one might point out Andromeda, but there’s a difference there, too-- not only did she have Bella to provide a barrier between her and their father that Bellatrix did not have, but she also experienced love outside of the family, which is a whole other set of variables I won’t begin to get into. Suffice to say that falling in love is an external catalyst which can’t be accounted for, and it certainly didn’t happen to Bellatrix.

As an adult, Bellatrix would have had a clear duty to take a pureblooded husband and provide him with male heirs. I do have a whole headcanon (which frankly deserves its own post but I digress) that she was first engaged to her Hogwarts sweetheart, but that he died early in the first war before they could be married, and as a result, her father arranged her marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange instead. This was not just to fulfill the whole get-married-have-babies mandate, but also because Bellatrix went mad with grief after her fiancé's death, and it’s really her first tangible, visible detachment from emotional stability. Her father’s solution to simply replace her fiancé might have been fine, had the couple not experienced infertility issues and been unable to produce children.

Infertility is not so surprising when one takes into account the rampant inbreeding in both the Black and the Lestrange families. Generations of intermarriage in the name of blood purity is guaranteed to give a myriad of health issues, certainly not all of which might be cured through magical means. However, an inability to fulfill her duties as they relate to Bellatrix’s personhood would be, to her, an absolute and unmitigated failure on her part. Fertility issues are already an enormous strain without the added pressures of a bloodline to preserve, but especially given that Andromeda essentially defected from the cause, the responsibility lies solely with Bellatrix and Narcissa, and as the older daughter, the responsibility is once again heavily on Bella. Her inability to conceive disallows her from adhering to her most sacred principles, which Bellatrix views as a failure on her part and results in a definitive rift in her self esteem and identity that she could not repair. She is desperate to be good and pure by the standards in which she was raised, and to fulfill what she views as her destiny, but she is unable to, and this destroys her.

IV. SYNTHESIS & RELEVANCE

Having been raised into these conditions, Bellatrix was conditioned into holding House Black and its doctrine at the forefront of her being. Because she held these beliefs so firmly and from such a young age, being a pure blooded witch is a part of Bellatrix’s identity and her self esteem. This is why any affront to these beliefs upsets her so much; it is a personal betrayal not just of these ideals but also of her wholly as a person. What made her turn on family members who had been burned off of the Black family tapestry was how personally she took their choice to leave. It was a personal betrayal, it was a publicly humiliating snub by someone who ought to have been on her side. Who did she have to rely on but family? The word family carries with it an expectation that they would die for the name Black and subsequently anyone who bore that name. Betraying the family was the same as a personal betrayal to Bellatrix, and was essentially spitting on everything Bella believed to be the most sacred and important obligations they held.

These circumstances create the perfect candidate for an offshoot of the pureblood supremacy cult, the Death Eaters. In the context of the House of Black, Lord Voldemort would have been the obvious escalation and clear apotheosis of pureblood supremacist ideals. Since Bellatrix had already been raised in an environment where the ends justifies the means and violence was an acceptable and omnipresent tool (she had ancestors who literally tried to make muggle hunting a legal sport so it’s not a stretch to think that House Black implemented casual violence elsewhere), she was an ideal fit for an extension of that ideology that placed more emphasis on negative eugenics and moving into the extermination of those deemed unworthy of their society.

V. AZKABAN

Following the conclusion of the First Wizarding War in 1981, Bellatrix was incarcerated at Azkaban at the age of 30, when she still had time to conceive a child. Her fanatical religious devotion for her cause convinced her that she would not be in prison for very long, but as she passed the decade mark, it would have been very clear to Bellatrix that if she were having fertility issues in her twenties, having aged past forty would make it very nearly impossible to get pregnant once the dark lord finally came to rescue them. Perhaps her belief in his infinite power led her to believe that Voldemort could magically fix whatever was the impediment to conception, or perhaps, having long given up on conceiving a child, Bellatrix viewed this failure as a reason to prove herself, a reason that she had to be the most dedicated, the most accomplished of his followers-- because she had failed in all other aspects and this was all she felt she had left to contribute to the pureblooded cause.

Either way, her spent youth would have clearly marked her failure in what she viewed as perhaps the most important endeavor in life, and one might suggest that her regression to a child-like state of mind following her traumatic incarceration in Azkaban could be an unconscious response to her desire to return to her youth in order to fulfill this expectation of her; or a desire to return to a time when she was not a failure but instead could still be of value to the ideologies in which she was raised and through which she viewed her purpose in life.

One could also surmise that Bellatrix’s recklessness in battle and her willingness (and possibly eagerness) to die for the cause of her pureblooded messiah might be due to this failure and the hope that at least if she died before the onset of menopause, it could be said that she was murdered before she could fulfill her duty, rather than being accused of having failed at it altogether. It’s also worth mentioning that her father had died while she was in Azkaban, and with his death, she lost any opportunity to finally earn his love and approval.

#meta ❝𝚆𝚁𝙰𝙿 𝙸𝚃 𝚄𝙿 𝙴𝙻𝚃𝙾𝙽 𝙹𝙾𝙷𝙽❞#this is SO LONG #but it's SO IMPORTANT #this post includes all of my most relevant hcs for bella #and my interpretation of so much of her canon #it took me over 4hrs to write #and I know I promised it like 2wks ago #but here it is finally

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theviscountbridgerton · 4 years

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I'm just curious but how would you interpret anthony from the books? When I read that excerpt I was definitely surprised a little bit, but also I thought "He loves people but it’s kind of toxic" is really accurate for him in the first book. I'm really excited though for the implications of the russian doll analogy because losing his father at such a young age, and having to be head of the family has always been so central to his character, and I'm really hoping they explore this in the show

I wouldn’t use the word toxic for starters.

My feeling is that we’re supposed to think Anthony is overbearing and the barricade to true love. But he’s not. He tells Simon very early on that he’s allowed Daphne to accept or reject marriage proposals herself.

He objects to Simon’s courtship of Daphne because a) he knows that Simon has no intention of getting married and b) he doesn’t trust Simon’s intentions. And he’s right on both counts. He warns Daphne not to pursue Simon because he knows Simon has no intention of marrying, but she does anyway and very nearly ruins her reputation, and puts Anthony in a position of having to defend her honour by shooting his best friend. Anthony warns Violet not to encourage Simon and Daphne’s relationship and I’ve gone into why I think Violet was all kinds of wrong before.

Yet, of the four of them, Anthony is the one we’re supposed to disagree with and root against. Even though he’s right and his objections are completely valid. I disliked Simon, Daphne and Violet in the book and I thought they acted like idiots and assholes. The fact that they got a HEA was pure dumb luck. Anthony acted the way he did because he had to, and he was right. I don’t think that’s toxic.

I liked Anthony in TD&I and sympathised with him the most, because the other three annoyed me so much. Colin was actually my favourite by the end of TD&I. I fell in love with Anthony in his own book, and this has absolutely coloured my opinion in subsequent rereads. I’m trying not to let my bias cloud my judgement, but I don’t think I’ve done very well. So I’d like to hear why you think Anthony’s behavior is toxic in the first book.

#bridgerton #Anthony Bridgerton #asks #Anonymous

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justforbooks · 3 years

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Why do we read? The wealth of genres available suggests that some of us read for comfort, escapism, knowledge, or to improve ourselves. Whilst these are all perfectly valid reasons, it’s also worth thinking about reading about themes, perspectives, and societies that go beyond our own comfort zones.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been estimated by the proofreading service, Global English Editing, that 35% of the people in the world have read more books than usual this year.

With normality disrupted, is it no wonder we have turned to books more? Books can give us all sorts of benefits, but when thinking about our reading habits during a pandemic, it is worth looking at this from a mental health perspective.

The Benefits of Reading — But Why It Should Also Challenge Us

Reading can force us to be mindful, take us away from the blaring digital world that we have become more reliant on, and force us into the present by talking one page at a time. “Bibliotherapy” is a relatively new form of reading therapy being used in clinics, libraries, and schools to promote recovery in people with mental health difficulties in some places in the world.

With these mental health benefits in mind, it is one explanation for why so many of us have taken to reading during the pandemic. But reading to improve our mental health can also be coupled with challenging and educating ourselves. Reading fiction is one of the best ways to do this. Not only are you benefiting from its natural escapism, but in many cases, fiction forces you to put yourself within the shoes of others.

A central theme with my reading habits in 2020 was choosing books that challenged me. In this respect — the books that follow have forced me to go beyond what’s comfortable — as I have learnt about different issues experienced by characters I wouldn’t necessarily encounter in my daily life.

Each has changed my perspective on a range of issues — highlighting why it’s important to read books that challenge us.

An American Marriage, Tayari Jones

Literary fiction

Celestial and Roy are a newlywed couple — for a brief moment — they indulge in the feeling of being married and the excitement of spending the rest of their lives together. Until one incident changes everything. Roy is wrongly accused of a crime he didn’t commit and is sent to jail for the rape of a woman.

“Much of life is timing and circumstance, I see that now.”

Whilst in jail, Roy desperately tries to keep his new marriage alive, whilst sending Celestial letters and hoping for a better future. But Celestial cannot continue to live her life waiting for theirs to start. In many ways, it is a story about relationships and love but heavily tainted by the blatant racism that lays at the heart of the American criminal justice system and how it has the power to alter lives.

Why Did it Challenge Me?

Reading this as a white woman, made me realise this situation would never happen to me. Reading from the point of view of Roy, a black man, wrongly convicted for a crime he didn’t commit purely on the grounds of his race and circumstance — was a learning experience for me.

I grew up in a considerably white town. Until fairly recently, I knew very little about racism and how it perpetuates the very systems that we typically view as ‘just.’ Therefore, reading about these types of experiences that I wouldn’t usually be exposed to in my life, was essential for me.

“Twelve years is what they gave him. We would be forty-three years old when he was released. I couldn’t even imagine myself at such an age. Roy understood that twelve years was an eternity because he sobbed right there on the defendants’ table. His knees gave way, and he fell into his chair, The judge paused and demanded that Roy bear this news on his feet. He stood again and cried, not like a baby, but in the way that only a grown man can cry, from the bottom of his feet through his torso and finally through his mouth…”

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell

Political fiction

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists was written during the early twentieth century and tells the story of a group of Edwardian workers. Owen, the outspoken socialist, makes it his mission to persuade and educate the rest of the group on the importance of a fairer society. He tries to make them realise the extent of their exploitation and how little it achieves — but he is always fighting an uphill battle.

In many ways, this book could be regarded as a socialist manifesto. But in others, it is far more than that. Through Owen, as readers, we learn that poverty is not about misconceptions such as laziness, but is more often than not, a political choice.

It’s rhetoric surrounding the workplace, and the unskilled versus the skilled worker highlights how we still undervalue certain people in society. Nurses and cleaners make up the groundwork of our society; however, they are still persistently underpaid. Throughout the novel, Owen makes a case for a redistribution of wealth, workplace rights and an overhaul of the capitalist system which in his eyes, is responsible for the vicious cycle of poverty they find themselves in.

“Every man who is not helping to bring about a better state of affairs for the future is helping to perpetuate the present misery and is, therefore, the enemy of his own children.”

Despite being written long ago, it contains an essential insight into the reality of working-class, Edwardian poverty, poor workplace conditions, and poverty workers' experience to keep themselves alive. Of course, it is inherently political, but it also teaches readers about human and societal values. Such as fairness, equality, and decency.

Why Did it Challenge Me?

Despite it being set during a very different time, it made me re-evaluate all the problems within our own society whether that’s the persistent gender pay gap, poor sick pay, or people not being eligible for financial help during the Covid crisis when they’ve had to stay at home during lockdowns.

Above all, the descriptive scenes of the workplace — most notably — one in which a young boy, Bert, who is told off for trying to light a fire to keep himself warm — made me realise how brutal and hard work manual labour jobs in the Edwardian period were — and how little rights they had.

Such A Fun Age

Fiction

Emira is a young black woman, living in Philidelphia and trying to find her feet. She works as a babysitter for a middle-class, white blogger who thinks she’s all clued up on race. Through the perspective of Emira, the novel deals with the casual forms of racism and microaggressions that many of us (particularly white people) may not usually notice in our day to day lives.

“Emira had met several “Mrs. Chamberlains” before. They were all rich and overly nice and particularly lovely to the people that served them. Emira knew that Mrs. Chamberlain wanted a friendship, but she also knew that Mrs. Chamberlain would never display the same efforts of kindness with her friends as she did with Emira: “accidentally” ordering two salads and offering one to Emira, or sending her home with a bag filled with frozen dinners and soups.”

Switching between Emira’s perspective, and Alix’s, the blogger, Such a Fun Age is a poignant, comical and revealing portrayal of the present world and the half-hearted ways in which white people commonly approach the subject of race. Alix thinks she is all clued up on what it’s like to be a black woman, as she has plenty of black friends, and after all, employs a young black woman.

Stephanie Hayes, writing in The Atlantic, sums her character up brilliantly in stating that the novel, “satirizes the white pursuit of wokeness.” Furthermore, this switching between two completely different characters means,

“Alix’s myopia isn’t lost on Emira. Writing from the younger woman’s point of view, Reid renders white people whose eagerness to shed their blinkers results in fumbling attempts to identify with black people — as much to burnish their own images as to genuinely connect with others.”

Why Did It Challenge Me?

It made me realise that some of the ways I used to approach talking about race — were wrong. By reading about Emria’s experience with her boss, Alix, I was exposed to the realities of casual racism. Something, as a white woman, I am have never experienced myself. This is obviously something I will never understand, but after reading this, I feel more aware and educated about it.

Reading this forced me into the perspective of Emira, a character living completely outside my own bubble. It opened my mind up to how the daily lives of others can be so different. Most of all, it forced me to stop and think.

Keep the Aspidistra Flying, George Orwell

Political fiction

This book encapsulates the dilemma that many young, recent graduates like myself, have to deal with. Do you strive to embark on a career that’s safe and stable, or pursue something you love, even if it takes longer and involves many more hurdles along the way? Gordon, the protagonist, has a safe job at an advertising firm; however, he gives this all up to work in a bookshop, for a slither of his previous salary.

After leaping into the unknown, he tries to stand against the capitalist society he feels he is forced into. Deliberately quitting a good job, and living below the poverty line, Gordon thinks he is making a robust, political stand. He tells the reader how he hates money and how this rampant need fuels every part of our society.

However, Gordon eventually realises the errors of his ways — as he learns his actions aren’t realistic because they aren’t encouraging a change to the system.

“The mistake you make, don’t you see, is in thinking one can live in a corrupt society without being corrupt oneself. After all, what do you achieve by refusing to make money? You’re trying to behave as though one could stand right outside our economic system. But one can’t. One’s got to change the system, or one changes nothing.”

Why Did It Challenge Me?

In this current job climate, it was a reminder that at the moment, no industry is ‘safe’ and that there is no such thing as a ‘proper’ job. Those jobs such as advertising, marketing, retail and hospitality — that we were always taught—were secure and ripped apart during the pandemic. It made me think about my own plans and perceptions of the job market.

Additionally, Gordon’s inherent dislike of money and the capitalist world reignited my desire for a more minimalist outlook and society. After all, money is never the route of all happiness.

Reading fiction is an enjoyable form of escapism, but it can also teach us a lot about other peoples’ lives, and challenge our own ideas and values. We can often become comfortable living in our own bubbles and reading the same books we have always turned to.

But reading fiction can help challenge our own comfort and promote a more diverse world view — when dealing with subjects such as race, society and culture. By reading fiction, we get to be inside the minds and live inside others' shoes we may never encounter in real life. Thus, it’s a form of stepping outside that comfort bubble, a form of social education, and a way of understanding people.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

#JUST FOR BOOKS #Why do we read?

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